With Diwali just around the corner, the preparation for the festival is in full swing. People all over the country are preparing for it by putting up lights, and decorations, and the aroma of traditional sweets filling their homes. This year, many are opting for the trend of homemade Indian sweets and one of the most popular ones is Rasmalai.
Rasmalai is a very famous Indian sweet made with saffron milk and soft spongy paneer discs or chenna. More often, it is made and consumed in special occasions only, however, with simple ingredients, it can be prepared at home.
To celebrate Diwali this year, chefs and food bloggers have come up with detailed instructions to guide home chefs on how to prepare rasmalai from scratch to get that perfect taste of the traditional Indian dessert. Here’s a simple recipe to help you make this classic dessert right in your kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For Rasmalai:
– 1 liter full-fat milk (for chenna)
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
– 1 cup sugar
– 4 cups water
For Flavored Milk (Ras):
– 1 liter full-fat milk
– 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
– A pinch of saffron threads (soaked in warm milk)
– 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
– Chopped almonds, pistachios, and cashews for garnish
The first step is preparing the chenna (Paneer) for this first, take 1 litre milk in a pan and boil the milk. Once boiling turns off the heat to the stove, add the lemon juice or vinegar slowly while the milk slowly curdling. To get the chenna separate from the whey let the curdled milk pass through the muslin cloth. Wash the chenna under running water in order to eliminate the sour taste arising from the use of lemon or vinegar.
In the next step gather the cloth’s edges, squeeze out excess water, and hang it for about 30 minutes to drain any remaining liquid. After the water is fully squeezed out of the chenna knead it for 5-7 minutes till the chenna has become smooth and soft. Divide the dough into small equal portions then round each portion and then flatten to make discs.
In a deep pot, combine 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then carefully add the chenna discs to the syrup. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the discs double in size. Remove from heat, gently transfer the discs to cool water, and let them sit for a few minutes before squeezing out excess water.
Prepare The Saffron Milk
At the same time cook the second 1 litre milk in different saucepan. When this begins to thicken, then add sugar saffron and cardamom powder and then continue stirring the mixture slowly. Let this come to boil and then lower the heat to its lowest and allow this to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the milk has thickened. Once the milk has thickened and has turned into a thick cream remove from heat.
Assemble The Rasmalai
After shaping it to discs, press slightly to remove the excess water and arrange them in a serving bowl. Delicious warm, Slowly pour over the saffron diluted in milk over the chenna discs and let it soak for at least an hour. Finally scatter over roughly chopped almonds, pistachios and cashews just before you are ready to serve the dish.
If serving a cold, place the rasmalai into a refrigerator for a couple of hours before the meal. A unique homemade rasmalai recipe, which can be prepared easily at home and will add extra flavor to your Diwali celebration.
Embrace the joy of festive cooking this Diwali with a homemade dessert your family and friends will love.
Current Version
Oct 29, 2024 17:25
Written By
News24 Desk