Khoa (Punjabi: ਖੋਆ, Nepali:खुवा, also khoo-wah) is a dairy product widely used in Indian, Nepalese, Bengali and Pakistani cuisine, made of either dried whole milk or milk thickened by heating in an open iron pan. It is similar to ricotta cheese, but lower in moisture and made from whole milk instead of whey. There are three types of khoya - batti, chickna, and daanedaar. 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. Chickna (“slippery” or “squishy”) khoya has 50% moisture. For daanedaar, the milk is coagulated with an acid during the simmering; it has a moderate moisture content. Different types of khoya are used for different preparations.
