Milk: 1 litre Alum, if you're making granular Mawa
Take a heavy bottom non-stick pan. Heat the milk in a pan on medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer and reduce on medium-low flame. Keep stirring after every 3-4 minutes. If possible, use a wider spatula to cover the area of the bottom pan while stirring and it will make your job easier.
Don't forget to stir by scraping the bottom of the pan and also sides of the pan. After 40 minutes, it will be a little grainy.
Keep stirring and keep cooking, till it becomes solid or dense like halwa. As it condenses, you will feel that it will take little effort to stir. At this time, turn off the stove heat.
Once it cools completely, it can be refrigerated up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Or you can freeze it for a month or more.
This recipe makes hard Mawa. It is made by reducing the milk to ⅕ part. It is used to make burfi, peda, ladoo etc.
Also known as Hariyali or chikna mawa. If making soft mawa then stop reducing milk a little earlier than the mentioned stage. This mawa is generally added to shahi or royal gravy (savoury dishes).
Also known as danedar mawa. It is made by adding some Alum or Tartaric acid which gives granular texture to the khoya. This type is used in making traditional kalakand or granular burfi.
It is a must to stir and scrape the sides every 3-4 minutes. Meaning you cannot leave it alone while milk is reduced. Burnt milk tastes very very bad.
Cooking time may vary depending on the shape and size of the pan. It also depends on how much quantity (half, double, triple) you are making.