Bengali cottage cheese dessert (Peray)

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 oz/2¾ cups) desiccated coconut 
• 150 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) pistachios 
• 250 g (9 oz) cottage cheese
• 250 g (9 oz/2¼ cups) milk powder
• 240 g (8½ oz/¾ cup) condensed milk 
• 3 drops of pandan extract

Chilling time: 30 minutes

Instructions

In a heavy-based frying pan, over medium heat, roast half the coconut for about 3–5 minutes, until light golden brown, stirring regularly so it doesn’t burn. Remove to a plate and leave to cool.

In the same pan, roast the pistachios until lightly browned, then tip them onto a chopping board. Leave to cool, then roughly chop and set aside.

Place the cottage cheese, milk powder, condensed milk and pandan extract in a blender and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the roasted coconut and mix again until incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a container and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Spread the remaining desiccated coconut on a tray. With wet hands, shape the chilled cheese mixture into golf ball–sized balls and roll them in the coconut.

Slightly flatten them out and push a small dent into the top. Fill each dent with chopped roasted pistachios.

If possible, leave to set overnight in an airtight container at cool room temperature before serving.

Photography by Alan Benson. This recipe and image is from Lands of the Curry Leaf by Peter Kuruvita (Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99)