Angoori Rasmalai

Rasmalai is one of the popular Indian sweet from West Bengal. Rasmalai is basically, a soft and spongy cottage cheese balls dunked in saffron flavoured milk and garnished with dry fruits. The word Angoori derives from the name Angoor which means grape in Hindi, is significant here for its shape and size. This angoori Rasmalai is creamy, soft and luscious and heavenly delicious. I made this dessert for my daughter's Birthday.

 

Ingredients :

For the Paneer:

Full cream milk - 1litre

Lemon juice - 3 tbsp

For the Sugar Syrup:

Sugar -1/2 cup

Water - 3 cups

Cardamon -1/2 tsp

The Saffron Flavoured Thick Milk:

Thick milk- 1 litre

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Cashew nut - 2 tbsp

Pistachio- 2 tbsp

Cardamon powder - 1 tsp

Saffron - a good pinch

Yellow food color - a small pinch

Almond/Pistachio slivers, for garnishing

 

Method:

1.Heat 11/2 litre of the milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Allow the milk to come to a boil. Once the milk comes to a boil, pour in the lime juice and give the milk a stir. Turn off the heat.

2.The milk will curdle immediately.Let it rest for 5 minutes. Drain the curdled milk in a cheese cloth.Wash the cheese under running water to remove the traces of lemon juice.

3.Tie the cloth holding the corners and hang it in the sink tap for 1 hour to drain away any excess whey.

4.Place the chena in a wide mixing bowl and begin to knead the chena with the heel of your palm.

 

5.Knead well for about 5 to 10 minutes until you get a really smooth dough.

6.Make small bite size balls of the chena dough. Roll the chena balls between your palm to make the outer surface smooth. This will be your angoori (grape sized) rasmalai balls.

 7.Mean while, heat the remaining 1 liter milk in a  heavy bottom pan. Add saffron and yellow food coloring. Cook on low heat, till milk is reduced to half.

 

8.Add 1/2 cup sugar and dry fruits and cardamom powder in the reduced milk    Mix well.    Keep the milk aside.

 9. Heat 1 and ½ cup sugar and water in a pan. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add a few  chenna balls.Do not over crowd .

 

10.Cook for about 5 minutes on high heat and then turn the flame to minimum possible flame. Now cook it covered for next 10 minutes on lowest flame.

11.Open the pan and Angoor(mini rasgulla) are now cooked. You may check it by pressing a sponge with your finger if it bounces back to its original shape, its cooked.

 

12.Squeeze out any excess sugar syrup from the rasgullas gently. take out the angoor gently and add in the warm reduced milk.

 

13.Once the rasmalai is completely cool, refrigerate it and serve chilled with some extra garnish of dry fruits.