RASMALAI is a very popular Bengali Sweet. Rasmalai literally means RAS- juice MALAI – cream. Flattened balls -discs of Chhena-Cottage Cheese are cooked in sugar syrup then dunked in thick flavourful milk which is creamy . RASMALAI is juicy, soft and so delicious. Garnish with nuts and serve chilled 🙂 🙂
Coming festival season, impress your family and guests with this mouth melting sweet. To make Rasmalai is bit easy, except one has to take care of few point. We will discuss these point as recipe goes on.

There are mainly 2 ways of making Rasmalai.

1 ) Quick and easy method : In this recipe, one can use store bought Rasgulla , just squeeze them and cook with diluted condensed milk. Ready Rasgulla and Condensed milk tin, both can be available easily in market.

2) Original way making it from scratch : This recipe involves making chhena/cottage cheese , shape it the cook in sugar syrup. Make Rabri – Condensed creamy milk. Now dunk squeezed disc from sugar syrup to milk. With this recipe Rasmalai can be ready within 30 to 40 mins. But still have to wait for at least 4 hours for perfect result.

NOTES :

• To make Chhena, either use Cow Milk or Toned Milk. NEVER use Buffalo Milk or any FullFat Milk, else Rasgulla/ Rasmalai won’t turn soft and spongy once it cooled down..
• To make Rabdi, always use milk which is boiled and the milk cream (Malai) has taken out. Else once rabri is cooled, a creamy layer will be formed on it and I am sure you won’t like it as me.
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Checkout detailed video recipe with all tips …

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Lets check out the detailed recipe…

INGREDIENTS:

To make Chhena

• 1 lt Full Fat Milk
• 2-3 tsp Lemon juice

To make Sugar Syrup:

• 2 cups Sugar
• 6 to 7 cups Water
• A Pinch of Cardamom Powder

To make Rabdi :

• 1 lt full fat Milk (Cow milk)
• 1/2 cup Sugar (adjust as per taste)
• Few Saffron Strands, soaked in warm milk
• Pinch of Yellow Food colour (optional)
• Almond and Pistachio for garnishing
• 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nutmug Powder

METHOD:

In this recipe first we will see how to make Rabri :

Rabri is nothing but thick flavourful milk . For Rasmalai we don’t need very thick milk as thick milk won’t be absorbed by rasgullas..

Take milk in a broad thick bottomed pot . Soak saffron in 2 tsp warm milk. I have added pinch of yellow food colour while soaking saffron.

Once milk starts boiling add soaked saffron, sugar cardamom powder and chopped Nuts .. Boil on medium to high flame. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

How to make Chhena -Cottage cheese Balls :

Take Milk in a vessel . Once it starts boiling, Switch off the gas and wait for 2 minutes. Later, add Lemon juice. One can add Vinegar or curd too. Mix it well. Now stir till milk curdles completely. You can see greenish whey separated.

Now drain this curdled milk in a muslin cloth. Pour a glassful cold water on chhena and rub it nicely. This way it all the particles of lemon juice will be washed and chhena will get cool down too. Squeeze off the access whey and make a knot. Hang it for half an hour to drain all access whey.

Later, take all chhena to a big plate. Crumble it with fingers. Here you can feel No access water there but still its not fully dry. Moisture should be there.

Start kneading the chhena. Knead well for 4 to 5 minutes till it turn into smooth. Don’t go on time , actually we have to knead till mixture turns silky smooth … DON’T KNEAD MORE that it start releasing grease, it may lead to flattened and hard Rasmalai.

Now, add 1 tsp CORN FLOUR to mixture and mix very well. Adding corn flour is optional but highly recommended…

Make equal sized balls with soft hands, gently press it little and give shape of disc. Smoothen up the edges gently if you fine cracked . Cover and set them aside.

To make Sugar Syrup :

Take 2 cups sugar and 7 cups water. Heat on medium flame till sugar dissolve fully. Stir occasionally.

Once it starts boiling add cardamom powder or cardamom seeds. Then add chhena discs slowly. Don’t add all discs at a time. Temperature of sugar syrup should not be reduced.

Cover them and allow it to cook for 8-9 mins on high flame. Disc will be double in size.

Slowly, try to flip the discs so it can be cooked on both sides. Again cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Switch off the flame and keep aside for 5 to 7 minutes.

Now, in a broad bowl take some ICE CUBES . Pour some sugar syrup on it. Slowly transfer all discs in this bowl. The reason behind this step is, fluffy discs won’t be flattened once cooled . Don’t avoid this step . Allow it to rest for 3 to 5 minutes just like this.

Now take out the disc , one by one and squeeze little between palms or between spatula or spoon. Add them to Rabri.

Keep in refrigerator for atleast 4 to 5 hours or overnight before serving. It takes time to absorb all flavours…

Serve chilled. Rasmalai is ready. Impress your family and friends with this delicious , mouth melting Rasmalai..

For quick version of Rasmalai, squeeze rasgulla gently. Don’t give pressure. Mix a cup of milk and half tin of Condensed milk. Allow it to boil. Add Saffron and cardamom powder. Now add squeezed rasgulla . Cook it for 2-3 mins. Garnish with almond and saffron. Serve chilled.

Hope you will like this recipe. I would love to listen from you all..