Serves: 15
Total Calories: 1,555

8 ounces Paneer Cheese (or store-bought), crumbled, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Traditional Thickened Milk Pudding or 1 1/2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk mixed with 1 tablespoon heav cream
15 blanched pistachio nuts
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed green cardamom seeds

1. Prepare the paneer cheese in advance. Prepare the milk pudding. Prepare the almonds. Place the paneer cheese in a food processor and process the cheese until it's smooth and starts to gather into a soft and pliable dough (just before it forms a ball). Divide the dough into 15 equal portions and shape each one into a thick, crack-free triangle. This should be done between the palms of your clean hands, applying gentle pressure as you shape them. Cover and set aside.

2. Place the water, sugar, cardamom pods and saffron in a pressure cooker and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and add the triangles. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker, place it over high heat, and cook until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid of the pressure cooker and let cool, about 10 minutes. Transfer each cham-cham, one by one, to a tray, tilting the tray to one side to allow them to drain, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Transfer to a serving platter. Place a dollop of the rabdi on each cham-cham, sprinkle with cardamom seeds, then top each with a pistachio. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 15
Total Calories: 1,555
Calories from Fat: 420

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Desserts
Almond and Saffron Halva
Almond and Saffron Kheer Pudding
Authentic Curdled Milk Fudge
Banana Dumplings
Basic White Milk Fudge
Basic White Milk Fudge with Cream
Basic White Milk Fudge with Pistachio Bits
Basmati Rice Custard
Bengali Rice Pudding
Bharti's Milk Cake
Caramelized Milk Balls in Thick Syrup
Caramelized Yogurt
Cellophane Noodles in Cardamom-Saffron Syrup
Corn Custard
Creamy Milk Pudding with Almonds and Saffron
Creamy Milk Pudding with Summer Fruits
Creamy Semolina Pancakes with Thickened Milk
Decadent Carrot Halva with Evaporated Milk and Jaggery
French Roll Bread Pudding
Fresh Fruit in Rose-Flavored Cream
Himachali Nuts
Indian Ice Cream with Almonds
Indian Ice Cream with Mangoes
Indian Ice Cream with Pistachios
Indian Ice Cream with Saffron
Indian Vermicelli Pudding
Layered White and Brown Chocolate Milk Fudge
Lychee Ice Cream Dessert
Mango Ice Cream Dessert
Marzipan Delights
Microwave Milk Pudding
Miniature Multi-Hued Paneer Cheese Balls
Paneer Cheese Kheer Pudding
Paneer Cheese Patties in Creamy Thickened Milk
Parsi Pressed Rice Flakes Pudding
Parsi Semolina Pudding
Pistachio and Cardamom Ice Cream Dessert
Plantain Halva
Pressure-Cooked Caramel Custard
Punjabi Rice Pudding
Punjabi Semolina Pudding
Pure Cashew Milk Fudge
Pure Pistachio Fudge
Quick and Easy Indian Ice Cream
Ricotta Cheese Cake
Saffron Curdled Milk Patties
Saffron Milk Fudge
Saffron Milk Patties
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Saffron and Almond Ice Cream Dessert
Simple Carrot Halva
South Indian Rice Pudding
Stuffed Paneer Cheese Rolls in Fragrant Syrup
Sweet Pastries with Dates and Nuts
Sweet Pretzel-Shaped Desserts
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Traditional Bread Pudding Bites
Traditional Dark Brown Milk Rolls in Saffron Syrup
Traditional Semolina Halva
Traditional Semolina Halva with Chickpea Flour and Raisins
Traditional Thickened Milk Pudding
White Paneer Cheese Balls in Fragrant Syrup
White and Pink Coconut Milk Fudge
Whole-Wheat Flour Halva
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Yellow Split Chickpea Pudding
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