Ras malai

Ingredients 

 

For the rasmalai balls

1-liter whole milk

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornflour (optional)

4 cups of water

1 cup of sugar

 

For the ras [syrup]

500 ml whole milk

5-6 green cardamom pods peeled and crushed to get the powder

saffron a pinch

3-4 tablespoons sugar

finely chopped pistachios

 

Rasmalai Balls

·      Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan. Once it comes to a boil, switch off the flame and add 1/2 cup of water to bring the temperature of the milk down a bit.

·      Wait for 5-10 minutes and then start adding lemon juice till the milk curdles.

·      Add lemon juice till the milk curdles completely.

·      Using a strainer drain the water and collect the chena.

·      Rinse it under tap water so that there's no trace of lemon juice in it.

·      Leave it in the strainer for 10-15 minutes and then take the chena in your hand and squeeze out the remaining water slowly.

·      Add cornflour and start mashing the chena with hand or in a food processor till it’s smooth.

·      Set the clock to 10 minutes and mash constantly for 10 minutes using your palm. Once it’s smooth, make small balls out of it.

·      Heat 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water in a wide pan and wait till it comes to a full boil.

·      Drop the balls in boiling sugar syrup and cook for 15-17 minutes. The balls will double in size by then.

·      Take out the balls from the syrup and drop them in freshwater. If they sink to the bottom, the balls are done.

 

Thickened Milk

·      In a heavy bottom pan, boil 500 ml of milk.

·      Soak few strands of saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk and set aside.

·      Once the milk comes to a boil, lower the flame, and continue to stir the milk at regular intervals. After 10 minutes add sugar and mix.

·      After 20-25 minutes the milk will thicken to the desired consistency, add soaked saffron, and crushed cardamom.

·      Also add finely chopped pistachios [if using]. Mix and switch off the flame.

·      Take out the cooled rasmalai balls from the sugar syrup, squeeze and flatten with your hands.

·      Transfer the balls to thickened milk [milk should be warm].

·      Chill in the refrigerator overnight or for 5-6 hours. Garnish with chopped pistachios and few saffron strands before serving.