Mithai shop favourite · Chhena
Chum Chum Recipe (Coconut Chhena Rolls)
Moist chhena. Knead smooth. Thin syrup, covered.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenChum chum are oval chhena sweets cooked in syrup, split and filled with khoya cream, then rolled in coconut, a fixture of Pakistani and Bengali mithai shops. They crack or turn rubbery at home. The fix is moist chhena kneaded until smooth, crack-free ovals, and boiling in thin syrup with the lid on.
The 3 laws of chum chum
Why this recipe works
Dry chhena
Soft, spongy rolls.
Rough shapes
Do not split in syrup.
Open pot
They puff evenly.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Chum chum
Filling and coating
The NineFoods chum chum gauge
Are they cooked?
Lift one out and press gently.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Chhena
- Split boiling milk with lemon water, rinse and hang 30 minutes.
Shape
- Knead with cornflour until smooth; shape 12 crack-free ovals.
Cook
- Boil in thin syrup covered. Use the gauge above.
- Cool in syrup, squeeze lightly, split and fill, roll in coconut.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Not kneaded.
Fix next time
Knead until smooth.
Why
Dry chhena.
Fix next time
Hang only 30 minutes.
Why
Thick syrup.
Fix next time
Use thin syrup.
Why
Syrup heavy.
Fix next time
Squeeze gently before filling.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade chhena | Base | No good substitute |
| Khoya filling | Cream | Milk powder, cream and sugar |
| Coconut | Coating | Crushed pistachios |
| Colour | Look | Leave out |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Chilled, on a mithai tray.
Store
Fridge 3 days.
Reheat
Serve cold.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 12 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (are they cooked) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Chum Chum FAQ
What is chum chum?
An oval chhena sweet cooked in syrup and filled with khoya.
Why do they crack?
The chhena was not kneaded smooth.
Is chum chum Bengali?
It comes from Bengal and is a favourite in Pakistan too.
How long do they keep?
About 3 days in the fridge.