Rasmalai is one of the popular and delicious bengali sweet where rasgullas are soaked in thickened and sweetened milk.This recipe is favourite of all my three kids. They relish the saffron milk and the spongy flat balls inside.
To get the soft and spongy rasmalai, make sure to use cow milk than buffalo milk, trust me you will get good result.
Yields: 10-12 pieces
INGREDIENTS
FOR CHEENA
2 litre cow's milk
1 TSP citric acid or 2 tbsp lemon juice (citric acid is highly recommended here for best results)
2-3 tbsp water
1/2 cup cold water for cooling milk before curdling.
2 cups ice cold water for adding in curdled milk
Some ice cold water for washing cheena
For boiling:
6 cups water
2 cups sugar
For Slurry:
1 cup whey (leftover water of cheena)
1 tbsp cornflour
FOR RABRI:
1 litre full fat milk (buffalo milk)
1/2 cup sugar
1 can condensed milk (400 ml)
15-20 strands saffron (kesar)
1 tsp cardamom powder
Few chopped nuts of your choice
STEPS FOR CHEENA
1. Mix lemon juice with 2 tbsp water Or dissolve citric acid in 1/4 cup water and keep aside. You will see citric acid will dissolve naturally. If any particles remain stir well with spoon.
2. Bring milk to boil. Turn off the flame and add 1/2 cup ice cold water to bring the temperature of milk down.
3. Add citric acid mix little by little mixing milk at the same time. After a minute or so you will see milk is curdled. Now add almost 1 litre ice cold water in it.
4. Strain the curdle milk using clean muslin cloth. Keep half cup water of curdle milk aside for later use.
5. Wash it with cold water to take out sourness.
6. Squeeze out the excess water.
7. Hang this 30 minutes to1 hours. Time depends on the cheena quality. It took 1 hour for me. Check after 30 minutes, if water is still there hang for another 30 minutes. Here, it is important to have moist cheena but with no water otherwise it will be difficult to knead it. This is again very important step, if cheena becomes too dry it will result in hard ramalai. Please note it might take more than 1 hour in some cases depending on the quality of milk.
8. Once cheena release all the water but is moist start kneading it. Knead for about 3-4 minutes. If cheena is still wet please don't proceed. Squeeze out the excess the water by pressing the cloth or hang for more time. While kneading if cheena stick to your hands it means it needs more time to dry.
9. Divide cheena in small equal parts.
10. Press between your palm and give it round shape.
11. Before you start kneading, keep 6 cups water with 2 cups of sugar for boiling. Avoid keeping cheena balls uncovered for long.
12. Take one cup of leftover water of curdle milk, add 1 tbsp cornflour. Make a slurry. Keep aside.
13. Once sugar syrup stays boiling add 2 tbsp milk. Remove the scum if any.
14. Now add cornflour slurry to it. Let water come to rolling boil. Add cheena balls one at a time.
15. Cook on high flame by just keeping the lid and not closing it. Make sure to have continuous bubbles.
16. Cook on high flame for 10 minutes and then reduce the flame to medium and cook for another 15 minutes.
17. Make sure to have continuous bubbles for sponginess.
18. To check whether it's cooked, half full the glass with water drop rasgulla, if it sinks it's cooked, if it floats on top cook for another 10 minutes.
19. Once done, leave it to come down to room temperature.
STEPS FOR RABRI:
1. Bring milk to boil with cardamom powder and kesar. Once it comes to boil, simmer on low flame till it becomes little thick , this will take around 30-35 minutes.
2. Add condensed milk and sugar. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
3. Turn off the flame and let it cool down a bit. Squeeze out the excess the water from balls.
4. Transfer flat cheena balls to serving bowl and add rabri over it.
5. Keep it in the fridge for 5-6 hours or overnight.
Pictorial:
1. Bring milk to boil. Turn off the flame and add 1/2 cup ice cold water to cool it down.
2. Wait for 30 seconds. Add citric acid dissolved water.
3. Slowly add citric acid and keep mixing till milk curdles completely.
4. Now add 1 litre ice cold water.
5. Strain in clean cloth.
6. Keep 1 cup whey aside.
7. Pour ice cold water over cheena. Wrap it in the cloth.
8. Hang the cloth.
9. Before start kneading the cheena, keep water and sugar for boiling ( 10 cups water with 2 cups sugar).
10. After 1 hour open it.
11. Crumble with hand in big pan.
12. With the edges of palm start kneading the cheena, don't put too much pressure.
13. After 4-5 minutes you will get smooth dough.
14. Start making small sized balls.
15. Roll it.
16. Press it flat between your palm.
17. Mix cornflour and cheena water.
18. Put it in boiling water.
19. Bring water to boil again.
20. Add cheena balls. Cover and bring to boil. Once it become foamy, open the lid and set aside otherwise it will overflow. Keep lid on side will maintain the bubbles.
21. Cook till they are done.
22. To check if it's done, drop it in a glass of water, if it's cooked it will settle down, if it floats cook for some more time. Let it come down to room temperature.
FOR RABRI:
1. Bring milk to boil with cardamom powder and kesar. Reduce to low and let it simmer for 30-35 minutes.
2. Add condensed milk and sugar. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Turn off the flame and let it come down to room temperature.
3. Squeeze out the excess water from cheena flat balls. Keep in serving bowl and pour room temperature rabri over it.
4. Keep it in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
5. You can see how spongy it is by the holes in it.
6. Serve with some chopped nuts and fresh rose petals.
