{{short description|Indian dairy food}} {{ref improve|date=March 2013}} {{Infobox food | name = Khoa | image = Khuwa vendor nepal.JPG | image_size = 250px | caption = Khoa vendor in Nepal | alternate_name = Khoya, khowa, teeyagaundi mawa | country = Indian subcontinent | region = South Asia (India, Nepal, Pakistan) | creator = | type = Cheese | course = Dessert, main ingredient for sweets | main_ingredient = Whole milk | calories = Approximately 1318 kJ (315 kcal) per 100 g | variations = Batti, chikna, daanedaar, pindi, dhap | national_cuisine = Indian, Nepalese, Pakistani. | no_recipes = yes | no_commons = yes }} '''Khoa''', '''khoya''', '''khowa''' or '''mawa'''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tadka |first=Zayka Ka |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4MYQEAAAQBAJ&dq=Mawa+khoya+milk&pg=PT29 |title=Easy Sweets and Snacks Recipes |publisher=Zayka Ka Tadka |language=en}}</ref> is a soft cheese widely used in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, encompassing India, Nepal, and Pakistan. It is made of either dried whole milk or milk thickened by heating in an open iron pan. It is lower in moisture than typical fresh cheeses such as ricotta.<ref>indiacurry.com [http://www.indiacurry.com/desserts/reducingmilkmath.htm Fuzzy Math for reducing milk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012054451/http://www.indiacurry.com/desserts/reducingmilkmath.htm |date=2007-10-12 }} Retrieved 2008-02-24.</ref> It is made from whole milk instead of whey.
==Preparation== A concentration of milk to one-fifth volume is normal in the production of khoa. Khoa is used as the base for a wide variety of Indian sweets. About 600,000 metric tons are produced annually in India. Khoa is made from both cow and water buffalo milk. Khoa is made by simmering full-fat milk in a large, shallow iron pan for several hours over a medium fire. The gradual evaporation of its water content leaves only the milk solids. The ideal temperature to avoid scorching is about {{convert|80|C|sigfig=2}}.<ref name="making"/> Another quick way of making khoa is to add full-fat milk powder to skimmed milk and mixing and heating it until it becomes thick. This may, however, not have the same characteristics as traditionally made khoa.
Khoa is normally white or pale yellow. If prepared in the winter, it may be saved for use in the summer, and may acquire a green tinge and grainier texture from a harmless surface mould. This is called ''hariyali'' (green khoa) and is used in recipes where the khoa is thoroughly cooked, e.g., ''gulab jamun''.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} With the advent of refrigeration, the production of hariyali is rare.
== Types == [[File:Pal Khovva in Krishnarajanagara, Mysore.jpg|thumb|Milk Khoa in Mysore, India]] Khoa is classified into different types, based on moisture content. Different types of khoa are used for different preparations.
* ''Batti'', meaning "rock", has 20% moisture by weight and is the hardest of the three types; it can be grated like cheese. It can be aged for up to a year, during which it develops a unique aroma and a mouldy outer surface.<ref name="making">indiacurry.com [http://www.indiacurry.com/dairy/d006khoya.htm Making khoya mawa Recipe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012054445/http://www.indiacurry.com/dairy/d006khoya.htm |date=2007-10-12 }} Retrieved 2008-02-24.</ref> * ''Chikna'' ("slippery" or "squishy") khoa has 50% moisture.<ref name="making"/> * ''Daanedaar'' is a grainy variety. The milk is coagulated with an acid during the simmering; it has a moderate moisture content.<ref name="making"/> It is used for preparing kalakand, gourd barfi and other sweets.<ref name="SNM_2009">{{cite book |title=Milk & Milk Products |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eLkT-kJ2pj8C&pg=PA23 |publisher=APH |isbn=978-81-313-0414-3 |page=23 |author=SN Mahindru |year=2009 }}</ref> * ''Pindi'', dry khoa, is used for preparing barfi and peda.<ref name="SNM_2009"/> * ''Dhap'', a less dried version, is used for preparing gulab jamun and pantua.<ref name="SNM_2009"/>
==Uses== [[File:Almond Khoa based burfi Mumbai India.jpg|thumb|Assortment of mithai: pedha, barfi and sandesh made of khoa, sugar and various flavorings, in Mumbai, India]] Khoa is used in various types of sweets: *Pedha is sweetened khoa formed into balls or thick disks (like patties) with flavourings such as saffron or cardamom added. * Gulab jamun, a very common Indian sweet, consists of a round ball made from khoa and then deep-fried and soaked in rose-flavoured sugar or honey syrup. *Jalebi from Jabalpur is made from Khoa. *Barfi (or burfi) is also flavoured, but khoa is not the only ingredient. Typically, another ingredient, such as thickened fruit pulp or coconut shavings, is added to khoa and slow-cooked until the moisture evaporates sufficiently to give the consistency of fudge, so it can be flattened and cut into rectangles, parallelograms or diamond shapes. * Gujia, a sweet, fried dumpling stuffed with khoa and nuts, is very commonly prepared during Holi. * Halwa is essentially a fudge made by adding khoa to wheat starch or cornstarch and sugar syrup to give a dairy-like taste and texture and act as a thickening agent. Most halwa recipes, however, omit the khoa, relying only on starch and sugar plus slivered nuts, spices such as cardamom or saffron, and flavorings such as rose water and screwpine. * Main course north Indian dishes like khoya paneer, makhmali kofte and khoya matar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://food.ndtv.com/topic/khoya/recipes|title=Khoya Dishes – Khoya Recipes – NDTV Food|website=food.ndtv.com}}</ref> *Naan roti stuffed with khoa is a specialty of the bakers of Bangalore.{{citation needed|date=January 2026}}
==See also== * {{annotated link|Chhena}} * {{annotated link|List of water buffalo cheeses}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/t0251e/T0251E05.htm FAO document discussing many dairy products including khoa]
Category:Punjabi cuisine Category:Nepalese cuisine Category:Indian dairy products Category:Pakistani cuisine