Rasmalai

How about some rasmalai..have been craving for some nice rasmalai as I haven't eaten them for quite a while.This is the first time i am making rasmalai,so fingers crossed lets hope they come out well. The first time I think had them was while doing my internship at Taj. I was a kitchen intern then. I remember a "halawi" called Rampal who used go from kitchen after kitchen to collect the excess milk to make the days quota of rasmalai. He made very tasty rasmalai.... he had the magic in his hands.Those were fun days.

I was craving for something sweet but not too sweet, rasmalai is  one for that.This a very authentic Bengali recipe.I am told every household in Bengal will have there stock of Chenna( the cheese used for making rasmalai, rosagulla etc at all times

 

Recipe

Ingredients for Chenna

Milk - 4 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Vinegar - 1/4 cup

Water - 5 cups

Ingredients for Basundi ( milk mixture)

Milk - 4 cups

Sugar - 2 1/2 tbsp

Cardamom - 1 pinch

Saffron - 1 pinch( 8 -10 strands)

Sliced Almonds and Pistachios - for Garnish

Method

Making of Chenna

• Boil 4 cup of milk in a heavy bottom pan, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
• Thin the vinegar with1/4 cup water.
• Once the milk comes to a boil , add the vinegar and stir gently.
• As the milk starts curdling or separate turn off the heat.

• Once the milk has separated, strain it  with a strainer lined with cheese cloth.
• Rinse the cheese slightly under the water to remove the sourness.
• After rinsing, gently squeeze out water but do not apply force .
• Hang the cheese cloth until water is not dropping any more.
• Once all the water has been squeezed,  take the cheese out and knead it well on a hard surface.
• If you feel the cheese as too "watery",  you may add a tsp of all purpose flour.

1. Knead it till it becomes soft and then shape it to smooth balls.
2. If you dont get the right texture , the cheese balls will break while cooking.
3. Now divide the chenna into 12 equal halves.
4. Boil the water in a heavy pan and add sugar.
5. Once it is boiled, reduce the heat to medium and drop in the flattened chenna balls.
6. Cover and cook until chenna balls double in size and starts to float on the surface.
7. Remove and keep it aside.

 Making Of Basundi(Cardamon flavored milk)

•  Boil milk in a frying pan
• As the milk starts boiling, add in sugar and cardamon powder.
• Let it reduce to about 3 1/2 cup
• Stir well. 

Assembling of Rasmalai

• As the Basundi boils, reduce the fire add the chenna patties after giving them a gentle squeeze.
• Add a few strands of saffron.
• Cook them together for few minutes
• Garnish with slivered Almonds ,pistachios and  saffron.
• Taste best when served chilled.

Variations

Ras gullas - they are the chenna balls served in sugar syrup.

Chenna payesh - Small chenna ball (gooseberry size) served with sweetened milk.

Cham Cham - Coloured and served with nuts or malai (thickened milk).