SanjayGhare at 16:20, 17 November 2025

2025-11-17T16:20:55Z

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{{Short description|Milk-based sweet dish in India}}
{{for|the village in Iran|Khvorchan}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Khurchan
| name_lang = खुरचन
| image = Khurchan mithai.jpg
| image_upright = 0.75
| caption =
| alternative_name = Malai Khurchan
| type = Milk-based sweet
| course = [[Sweet]], [[Dessert]]
| place_of_origin = [[North India]]
| region = Primarily associated with [[Delhi]] and [[Khurja]] ([[Uttar Pradesh]]), also a local specialty in the Bundelkhand region of [[Madhya Pradesh]].
| associated_cuisine = [[Indian cuisine]]
| main_ingredient = Full-fat milk (typically buffalo's milk), [[Sugar]]
| minor_ingredient = [[Cardamom]], [[Pistachio]]s
| similar_dish = [[Rabri]], [[Kalakand]]
}}
'''Khurchan''' is a traditional Indian [[sweet]] delicacy originating from [[North India]].<ref name=hindustantimes>{{cite news |last1=Austen Soofi |first1=Mayank |title=Delhi's sweetest leftover |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/delhi-s-sweetest-leftover/story-OeZcfGwEeV7jXHEK7zT4rI.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=October 31, 2010}}</ref> It is particularly associated with the cities of [[Delhi]] and [[Mathura]]. Its name 'Khurchan' is derived from the [[Hindi]] word ''khurchana'', meaning "to scrape," which refers to the process of scraping off layers of thickened cream during its preparation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sanghvi |first1=Vir |title=Scrape it up |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/rude-food-scrape-it-up/story-uEoytQAWTTPclKE1wMXEHL.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> It is a seasonal sweet, often enjoyed during the winter months, and is known for its rich, creamy texture and distinct milky flavour.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Akanksha |title=The beloved 'snack of wealth' made on Delhi's streets |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220717-the-beloved-snack-of-wealth-made-on-delhis-streets |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=July 22, 2022}}</ref>

In 1999, during his [[Lahore Declaration|Lahore bus ride]] to [[Pakistan]], [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] carried khurchan for Pakistani Prime Minister [[Nawaz Sharif]].<ref name=hindustantimes/><ref>{{cite news |title=Former Pakistani Prime Ministers would get sweets from this khurchan shop |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSeVoGs3Cg |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=September 23, 2017}}</ref>

== History ==
The sweet is believed to have developed in regions with a strong tradition of dairy production. It has been associated with [[Old Delhi]]'s Kinari Bazaar, where some vendors are reported to have been preparing and selling it for over a century.<ref name=hindustantimes/> The city of [[Khurja]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]] is also noted for its long-standing connection to the sweet.<ref>{{cite web |title=100 साल से भी ज्यादा पुराना है खुर्जा और खुरचन का इतिहास, कहीं और नहीं मिलेगा ऐसा स्वाद |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/up-uttarakhand/uttar-pradesh/swadist-food-bulandshahr-khuja-khurchan-famous-street-food-sweet-made-of-milk-know-history-mithai-pcup/1155412 |website=Zee News |language=hi}}</ref> Khurchan is referenced as a local specialty in parts of the [[Bundelkhand]] region, including the [[Chhatarpur district]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Khurchan |url=https://chhatarpur.nic.in/en/culinary-delight/khurchan/ |website=District Chhatarpur, Government of Madhya Pradesh}}</ref> [[Rampur Baghelan]], [[Satna]], located in Madhya Pradesh.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tripathi |first1=Visnukant |title=शुद्ध दूध की मलाई से बनती है खुरचन:MP की खास मिठाइयों में से एक; 80 साल पुरानी है इसकी कहानी |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/mp/satna/news/the-sweetness-is-dissolving-all-over-the-country-big-business-in-small-shops-on-the-highway-130600832.html |publisher=[[Dainik Bhaskar]] |date=November 23, 2022 |language=hi}}</ref>

Some sources described Khurchan as having originated in the Indian state of [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref name=Apple>{{cite book |author1=Megh R. Goyal |author2=Murlidhar Meghwal |author3=Rupesh S. Chavan |title=Dairy Engineering Advanced Technologies and Their Applications |date=2017 |publisher=Apple Academic Press |isbn=9781315341989 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Dairy_Engineering/6ufeDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Khurchan&pg=PT139&printsec=frontcover}}</ref>

== Preparation ==
It is made by simmering full-fat milk in a large, shallow iron pan over a low flame. As a thin layer of cream ([[malai]]) forms on the surface, it is carefully lifted and pushed to the side of the pan with a spatula. This process is repeated continuously, creating a stack of flaky, yellowish layers of malai. The collected layers are then gently sweetened with sugar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dwivedi |first1=Shivank |last2=Mishra |first2=Rishi |title=पता चल गया कहां से शुरू हुई खुरचन मिठाई, खा लिया तो भूल जाएंगे रबड़ी मलाई! यहां 3 KM में बस इसकी दुकानें |url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/lifestyle/recipe-khurchan-sweet-history-after-eating-forget-rabri-malai-shops-spread-across-3-kms-in-satna-local18-ws-kl-9311852.html |publisher=[[News18]] |date=June 16, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mamgain |first1=Asheesh |title=The Sweet Side of Dilli |url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/9/14971/The-Sweet-Side-of-Dilli-- |publisher=The Citizen |date=September 14, 2018}}</ref>

Khurchan is typically prepared using buffalo milk, which is preferred due to its higher fat content and yield compared to [[cow's milk]].<ref name=Apple/>

== See also ==
* [[Peda]]
* [[Rabri]]
* [[Kalakand]]
* [[Kulfi]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian desserts]]
[[Category:North Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Uttar Pradeshi cuisine]]

Khurchan - Revision history

SanjayGhare at 16:20, 17 November 2025