Rasgollas:

We had a wonderful weekend getaway at Savannah and Tybee Island. We even snuck away to Hilton Head while we were down South. It definitely was a much awaited break away from work and the rhetorical everyday grind. I’m back relaxed and ready to cook again..hehe!

Back to the Rasgollas, I had made some last week but didn’t have time to write about it. Ever since I learned the easy way to work with soft paneer to make Bengali sweets, I can’t stop myself from making them more often than not.

The procedure is the same as for Rasmalais, only difference being you need to go a step further while making Rasmalais..you need to make the ‘Ras’. I am giving the recipe and procedure here again for the Rasgollas with a few pics as many had doubts regarding the kneading process.

You wil need:

4 Cups Milk

1/3 cup Lime/Lemon juice or Vinegar

4 Cups Water

1 ½ Cups Sugar

Bring milk to a boil on medium heat. When it comes to a boil, stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Stir till the milk curdles and the whey is separated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and drain. Immediately rinse under cold water to remove the citric residue.

Squeeze out as much water as possible, tie in a knot and let sit in the colander for 20-30 minutes. The less water the better.

Once the water has been drained completely, remove the soft paneer from the cloth onto a smooth clean kneading surface. At this stage the paneer will be crumbly and will not hold shape.

Begin to knead gently, and continue to do so until the entire mass comes together into a ball. At this stage, as you knead, your palms should become greasy. Knead for around 8-10 minutes. More than the time, the grease on your hand is a better indication. Also, pinch off a small piece and roll into a ball. If the ball holds shape then your paneer is ready to be used in the next stage.

Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil in a clean pressure cooker. Divide the paneer into 10-12 pieces and roll into a smooth ball. If the balls are falling apart even slightly, knead the whole mixture again and then roll into a ball.

This is a critical stage, if you don't knead well, the chances are the balls will not hold when pressure cooked. So make sure you take your time and get it right.

Drop these balls into the boiling sugar syrup one at a time. These balls will double in size when done, so make sure there is enough room in your pressure cooker. Do them in two batches to avoid crowding. Close lid and turn heat to high. Place weight on lid and after one whistle, turn heat to low and cook for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool completely before you handle the Rasgollas. Refrigerate before serving.

There are several methods to make Rasgollas at home, but this one is the simplest with few ingredients. As long as I get to eat juicy soft Rasgollas at the end of the day, the method is the least of my worries! :)