Rasmalai

A popular Bengali dessert – Rasmalai, is a royal sweet often served at weddings and eaten on special occasions. Soft, small, and spongy flattened balls are made by curdling the milk which is dunked in flavored sweet milk. Ras malai consists of white cream, sugar, milk, and cardamom-flavored paneer cheese known as chhana. Almonds, cashews, and saffron are often added to the dessert.

Ingredients

For the rasmalai balls

• 1 liter whole Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup sugar

For the ras [syrup]

• 500 ml whole Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk
• 5-6 green cardamom pods peeled and crushed to get the powder
• saffron a pinch
• 3-4 tablespoons sugar
• finely chopped pistachios

Instructions

Rasmalai Balls

1. Boil Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti 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 Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk down a bit.
2. Wait for 5-10 minutes and then start adding lemon juice till Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk curdles.
3. Add lemon juice till the Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk curdles completely.
4. Using a strainer drain the water and collect the chena.
5. Rinse it under tap water so that there's no trace of lemon juice in it.
6. Leave it in the strainer for 10-15 minutes and then take the chena in your hand and squeeze out the remaining water slowly.
7. Add cornflour and start mashing the chena till it’s smooth.
8. 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.
9. Heat 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water in a wide pan and wait till it comes to a full boil.
10. Drop the balls in boiling sugar syrup and cook for 15-17 minutes. The balls will double in size by then.
11. Take out the balls from the syrup and drop them in freshwater. If they sink to the bottom, the balls are done.

Thickened Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti Milk

1. In a heavy bottom pan, boil 500 ml of Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk.
2. Soak a few strands of saffron in a tablespoon of warm Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk and set aside.
3. Once the Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk comes to a boil, lower the flame and continue to stir the Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk at regular intervals. After 10 minutes add sugar and mix.
4. After 20-25 minutes the Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk will thicken to desired consistency, add soaked saffron and crushed cardamom.
5. Also add finely chopped pistachios [if using]. Mix and switch off the flame.
6. Take out the cooled rasmalai balls from the sugar syrup, squeeze and flatten with your hands.
7. Transfer the balls to thickened Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk [Dano Power / Dano Growth Shakti milk should be warm].
8. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or for 5-6 hours. Garnish with chopped pistachios and a few saffron strands before serving.