Yes, you read that right. Fried milk does exist but not in the literal sense. This unique dish is a Spanish sweet that is known as leche frita, which means ‘fried milk.’ You must be wondering about what the dessert looks like, and it’s similar to a hash brown on the outside and is rectangular.
This sweet treat is also similar to the Chinese custard-like milk dessert called zha xian nai or chow lai.
What is Leche Frita (Fried Milk)
Fried milk is the latest dessert craze in China, and it is made by churning coconut milk, milk and cornstarch until it reaches a jelly-like consistency. Then, it is cut into bite-size rectangular shapes, coated in bread crumbs and deep-fried in hot oil. The Chinese version of fried milk has many variations with sweet and savoury flavours.
The Spanish dessert (leche frita), on the hand, is prepared differently and with different ingredients too. The “milk” is actually a firm, cold pudding encased in a warm shell of flour and egg. No matter where it comes from, biting into Fried Milk is almost like eating deep-fried Mozarella sticks except you don’t get the gooey cheese in the centre.
The Story of Fried Milk
Fried milk might be the latest dessert craze in most Asian countries at the moment, but this unique street food has many names. In Spain, it is called Leche Frita, which means Fried Milk in Spanish. It is considered to be one of the oldest street food desserts there is in Spain.
In India, fried milk is referred to as Gulab Jamun. It is said to have gained its origins from the Indian folklore. The folklore describes how the chief Persian priest of Mughal king Shah Jahan discovered the dessert. It was then introduced in India as a royal dessert.
If you visit Italy, you will get two different versions of Fried Milk. The first kind is the latte dolce fritto or sweet fried milk which is commonly found in Central and Southern Italy. The other variation is crema fritta, or fried cream.
Well, there seems to be no absolute record of where this dish started, but this unique dish is shared among many countries and is enjoyed by all walks of life.
The Nutritional Content of Fried Milk
Although the base of the ingredient is milk, fried milk is not as healthy as drinking milk. As with all deep-fried foods, you should consume it in moderate amounts as the oil and fat content is alarmingly high. A serving of fried milk (a block), carries a total of 208 calories, and 28% of the dish is actually fat.
It also has about 63.1mg of cholesterol. So if you’re planning on giving yourself a treat, remember to always follow it up with a healthy diet and exercise.
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