Palkova is a traditional milk sweet made with just 2 main ingredients milk and sugar. Learn to make Palkova Recipe the traditional way with step by step pictures and video.
Palkova is made traditionally by simmering and reducing milk until its thick. It involves lot of time and effort as we need to keep stirring to avoid burning. I have shared tips and tricks to make the perfect palkova.
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What is Palkova?
‘Pal’ in tamil means milk and ‘kova’ is dried evaporated milk solids so Palkova means thickened milk solids with sugar. Palkova is a rich milk sweet made by simmering, thickening and reducing milk until thick then adding sugar,cardamom powder and ghee.
The kova or khoya or mawa as it is popularly known as used for jamuns and other dishes is nothing but unsweetened palkova. This traditional sweet can be made for any festival but its popularly made for festivals like Gokulashtami and Navratri. But you can make it even for any special occasions in your family too.
I have tasted aavin palkova and srivilliputhur palkova both are my favorite but only till I tried this sweet at home. Palkova made at home is so good as you can control the amount of sugar used as more the sweet you add it becomes over powering that you cannot have more than a spoon at a time.
Palkova can be made in 10 mins taking the short route of using microwave oven, but I don’t have chances for that as I don’t own a microwave, also I always want to try recipes the traditional way. You can check my therattipal recipe if you wish to make instant palkova. So here is my traditional stove top method for making palkova. I agree it is sure time consuming and painstaking but worth the effort, you will agree with me only when you taste it.
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Palkova Ingredients
- Milk – Use only full fat milk to get the best palkova taste. I used cows milk.
- Sugar – I used white sugar as in shops but you can even use cane sugar or powdered jaggery.
- Cardamom – Traditionally no flavoring is added, but for a mild flavor I have added a tiny pinch of cardamom powder
- Ghee – Add very little ghee just to reduce the stickiness. Do not add more.
How to make Palkova Step by Step
1.Use a heavy bottomed vessel for making palkova so that it doesn’t burn easily at the bottom. Also make sure to wet the base of the vessel before pouring milk. I used heavy bottomed bronze uruli. Add 1 litre full cream milk to it.
2.First give a quick mix to avoid sticking at the bottom.
3.Boil milk.
4.Keep stirring every now and then to avoid burning.
5.You can keep the laddle like this to avoid overflowing of milk.
6.Let it boil till it reduces. Stir every now and then to avoid burning at the bottom.
7.Keep the flame in low medium but take care to stir often.This is after almost 1 hour.Milk is reduced to almost 1/4th and is thick.
8.At this stage add 3 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder.
9.Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
10.Cook until thick but still slightly goey.
11.Add 1 tablespoon ghee.
12.Give a quick mix.
13.Add remaining 1 teaspoon ghee.
14.Mix well,it will leaves the sides of the pan but still goey. Switch off at this stage, after it cools down it may get more thicker.
Serve warm or hot!
Expert Tips
- Use a heavy bottomed pan or nonstick pan so that it doesn’t stick much.
- Also stirring often is the main tip.
- You can add 4 tablespoon sugar if you prefer it very sweet.
- It keeps well for a week refrigerated.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the size of pan and also the water content in milk.
- Use a little wider pan so that milk gets reduced soon.
- Keep stirring and scraping the sides to scrap the milk solids.
- When you switch off it will still be goey but after cooling down it will get thick.
- Make sure you cool down completely before you refrigerate it.
Serving & Storage
Serve it as such or with any savory snack like bajji, bonda etc. Palkova keeps well in room temperature for 2 days and in fridge for about a week.
FAQS
1.Is Therattipal and Palkova same?
Yes they are almost the same. The texture of therattipal is grainy as we are adding curd but the texture of palkova is smooth and soft. Though the texture differs the taste of palkova and therattipal are the same.
2.Can I use cane sugar or jaggery replacing white sugar?
Yes you can add it but make sure you add it only when the milk is thick and almost solid else there are chances for milk to curdle.
3.What type of milk is best for making palkova?
Full cream milk is best for making palkova. You can either use fresh farm milk or packet milk too.
If you have any more questions about this palkova recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this palkova recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Palkova | Palkova Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 litre milk 4 cups
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ghee
Instructions
- Use a heavy bottomed vessel for making palkova so that it doesn't burn easily at the bottom. Also make sure to wet the base of the vessel before pouring milk. I used heavy bottomed bronze uruli. Add milk to it.
- First give a quick mix to avoid sticking at the bottom. Boil milk.
- Keep stirring every now and then to avoid burning.
- You can keep the laddle like this to avoid overflowing of milk.
- Let it boil till it reduces. Stir every now and then to avoid burning at the bottom.
- Keep the flame in low medium but take care to stir often. This is after almost 1 hour. Milk is reduced to almost 1/4th and is thick.
- At this stage add sugar and cardamom powder.
- Cook for another 5-7 mins.
- Cook until thick but still slightly goey.
- Add 1 tablespoon ghee. Give a quick mix.
- Add remaining 1 teaspoon ghee.
- Mix well, it will leaves the sides of the pan but still gooey. Switch off at this stage, after it cools down it may get more thicker. Enjoy Palkova!
Video
Notes
- Use a heavy bottomed pan or nonstick pan so that it doesn’t stick much.
Also stirring often is the main tip. - You can add 4 tablespoon sugar if you prefer it very sweet. 4 tablespoon is 1/4 cup of sugar.
- It keeps well for a week refrigerated.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the size of pan and also the water content in milk.
- Use a little wider pan so that milk gets reduced soon.
- Keep stirring and scraping the sides to scrap the milk solids.
- When you switch off it will still be goey but after cooling it will get thick.
- Make sure you cool down completely before you refrigerate it.
Priyanka Sundaram
This is a nice and easy to do recipe. But try to avoid using non stick pan as much as possible in your cooking. Also use only wooden spatula if non stick pan is unavoidable.
Jayathishya.P.R Ravichandra.P
Yummmmy. ..I tried this for Gokulashtami. It came out really very well.u give a clear and easy procedure which make me to try.thanks a lot sharmi. …
Ram Gilbert
This was my first ever attempt at a sweet dish and I just blindly followed your steps . The outcome was too good , even better than the shops palkova. Thank you . Appreciate the simplicity in the flow
Sharmilee J
So glad that you tried and it came out well! Thanks for sharing the feedback!
nirupamasundar
Drop in a small cup while boiling milk, there will be no need to stir it often till it thickens well.
lokesh kumar
Hi Sharmi,
Is this the same paalkova used for making madurai special jigarthanda?
SHARMILEE J
Yes same method only but made on different days 🙂
Anitha Rajagopal
Loved the instructions! And so thankful for the tips! The palkova was perfect but I think I'll try 1/4 cup sugar next time! 🙂
Kiruthika Ganeshan
I am so addiected to milk sweets especially this one, that I couldn’t stop eating the remnants stuck to the paddle even before it could cool. Yummy recipe….I kept it simple with just milk and sugar. Thanks a million. Awesome work with your recipes