Rasmalai –A long post with lots of photos

I am a big big fan of this’’ Out of the world sweet’’….I just lov it….need a clue? Its from The State of Bengal in India...yes you guessed it right….Rasmalai….this soft spongy yellow coloured sweet  soaked in thickened milk is one of my favourite desserts….in fact I can have it any time….at night one or morning four ….

Well I thought making the Rasmalai was a tough tough job…. Especially, at home.

But blogging  introduced me to homemade rasmalai……and my joy knew no bounds….Now I will be making them at home…..???

Well I’ve soaked this post with lots of photos….I know….and the recipe is slightly long….but easy…..well I wanted to include all that I know and read about….

To mention about my notion of rasmalai making being a tough job…It was a plesant surprise to me that I was wrong…It a damn easy recipe….Wanna try?

From: ECurry.com

For the Malai balls

Ingredients

Milk-1 ltr

Lime juice/ vinegar-11/2-2 tsp(diluted with water)

Sugar-1 cup or more

Water-2-21/2 cups or more

All porpose flour to sprinkle(optional)

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

Notes
Dust the work surface with some all purpose flour to make kneading and rolling easier on you.

When milk curdles and whey seperates add ice cubes and switch off flame to get soft paneer

If the rasgullas/rasmalai gets stiff and not spongy or puffy.. it may be due to the fact that while the whey separated milk solids harden due to too much acid (vinegar/lime juice) or the split milk solids and whey stayed together for too long after they were split or they were cooked for too long

The syrup should be thin and light. As soon as you see the sugar has dissolved and water has come to a roaring boil, add your first set of the Rasgullas to cook. When the first set is done and you see that the syrup has thickened or reduced in volume, add more water and a little bit of sugar and allow it to come to a roaring boil again before you add another batch of the Rasgullas.

If you are using a pressure cooker only one whistle is required to cook the ras gullas

If using a pot with the lid it will take 12-16 minutes without opening the lid and releasing the steam once during the process.

Remove a batch of rasgullas after they are cooked with some syrup enough to immerse them fully and let them soak .Alternatively some people add it to a bowl of warm water.

You can add a pinch of baking powder to the chenna while kneading.

Best curdling agent is fermented whey.

Rasgullas should not be let to change from white colour to creamy white while cooking for too long.It should change colour while soaking in syrup

Use palm to knead.

Cook in batches as they are soft during initial minutes of cooking. If crowded they will collide and break away

If you leave chenna in open air it will crust and harden and when cooked pevent sugar syrup from going in

Roll 1^st set of balls.While they are cooking roll the next set of balls

Some put sugar balls into each chenna ball at the centre and roll it into balls

Some add yellow colour to chenna while kneading.

Method

Pour milk into a heavy bottomed vessel.

When it comes to roaring boil, add lime juice/vinegar little at a time and lower heat.Stir the milk while adding lemon juice/vinegar

When the milk curdles and whey separates stop stirring and switch off the gas.

Remove the pot from the stove and allow the curdled milk to sit for about 8-12 minutes. Do not stir

Place a cheesecloth /cotton cloth on strainer and strain the curdled mixture

Put it under cold running water and give a quick wash.

Wrap and tie the cheese cloth and hang  it up to let it drain for-15-30 minutes(I used my paneer only in the evening when I made it in the morning so I wrapped it in a wet cloth and covered  it in a vessel with a lid till I used it.)

Wring out any extra moisture and let it stay hung again for 2 hrs .It should not have any more whey dripping out but should be soft and moist after 2 hrs.

Remove the chenna and knead with the heal of the palm for 15 minutes or more (I did for 10 minutes) till fat comes out of the chenna and it is not sticky.Knead parts of it away from you towards the outer edge of the board you are using and bringing it back to you and repeating the back and forth motion

Roll it until it has a really smooth surface with no cracks. They should be smooth without holes or lines going across them.

Add sugar to water and let it dissolve completely When it comes to roaring boil add chenna balls.The level of the liquid should be just high enough that the balls completely submerge.

Cover and cook. The balls will puff up in about  10 – 15 minutes. You may uncover and release the steam only once during the cooking process. Do not move around the balls as they are cooking.(mine got done in 5 minutes in high).Some people cook in high some in medium or initially 5 minutes high then medium when cooking with lid closed.

An easy test to see if they are done is to remove one and drop it in a cup of cold water. If it floats, it needs to be further cooked. When they are done the texture should be spongy and should bounce back when held down with the back of a spoon or a finger.

After a couple of sets, the sugar syrup will thicken; add some hot water and some sugar to replenish and bring it back to the original consistency.

For Rasgullas

After all batches are done .Simmer the sugar water mixture .After it thickens little switch off. Pour cold water. Add flavouring-cardamom powder/essence. Add the rasgullas back in. Refrigerate and serve cold.Garnish with nuts while serving.

For the ‘’Ras’’ in Rasmalai (for 8 nos)

Ingredients

Milk-500 ml

Sugar-1/8 cup

Condensed milk-3 tbsp

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

Nuts(pista,badam)

Saffron-3-4 strands

Method

Take a heavy bottomed vessel and grease with ghee.Add milk and condensed milk.Bring to boil.Then reduce to medium flame.

Mix saffron in 2 tbsp milk and add.Also add sugar.

Keep stirring till milk is thick and reduced to half.

Add cardamom powder and nuts.Add Rasgullas and cook for 5 minutes in medium and take off flame

Refrigerate for future or serve warm.