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Also Known as
Mava, Mavo, Khoya, Khoa
Description
Khoya or mawa is a dairy product. Khoya is used in making many sweets dishes and gravy vegetables. In India there is no problem in getting Khoya from the stores. It is considered as one of the important dairy products and in many houses it is very commonly used. Khoa is a kind of concentrated whole milk. It is a paste which has a white to yellowish colour with just a tinge of brown. It has a slightly oily or granular texture, and a rich nutty flavour associated with a milk cooked and sweet taste due to the high concentration of lactose.
Khoya can be made at home, though the method is little tedious. It is prepared by boiling and reducing the milk to a semi-solid stage. There are different types of Khoya depending on the use of ingredients and moisture content. Mava generally comes from Gujarat.
Grated mava
Take a slab of mava and rub against a grater. Shreds will range in size according to size of the holes in the grater. Use grater as required - thin or thick shreds.
Hariyali Khoya (Hariyali Mava) : Also called "Chikna Khoya", it is made with low fat milk. It is slightly yellowish in colour and is loose and sticky in consistency. It has a higher moisture content than the sada khoya and is used to make gulab jamun.
How to Select
Choose Khoa that is pale white in colour, firm. Avoid, if there is any kind of black discolouration or any kind of fungal growth. Also, avoid purchasing if it smells sour.
Culinary Uses
· Make small balls of the Khoa, flatten to place the coconut filling and cover it into a neat ball. Smoothen it into a laddu by just rolling over your palm!
· Best of all Indian sweet treats, this milk based sweet is a classic made during festivals, mainly during diwali.
· Khoa is the basis for many traditional Indian sweets, among them burfi, a treat similar to fudge.
· Decorate with ground pistachio nuts and the traditional edible silver leaves.
· Cardamom offsets the sweetness somewhat, and adds another taste dimension that complements the nuts with its spiciness while underscoring the mellow burnt sugar flavor of the Khoa.
How to Store
It has a shelf life for 2 to 4 days. It can be stored for a longer time, if sugar is added or stored at room temperature.
Health Benefits
· Khoa being a dairy product promotes strong bones by being a very good source of vitamin D and calcium, and a good source of vitamin K--three nutrients essential to bone health.
· In addition, it is a very good source of riboflavin and good source of vitamin B12, two B vitamins that are necessary for cardiovascular health and energy production. Also, it is a good source of vitamin A.
· Research has shown that increased consumption of dairy products, by both children and adults, results in increased bone density later in life and a reduced risk of osteoporosis.
· Having much of the health benefits, remember excess of it is not good for health. Excess can cause weight gain further causing other health problems.