Rasagulla

When in Kolkata, I used to often buy an earthen pot laden with 15 rasagullas on the way back home from work. The sweet shops usually prepare fresh rasagullas in the evening. Ma and I are huge fans of hot rasagullas and we would gulp down rasagullas as if there was no tomorrow. We would keep aside a couple of them for Abbas. After moving out of Kolkata we rarely got fresh rasagullas. And I don't like tinned ones much. Even if we get, we find them too expensive as we were used to buying them at 2 bucks each. It was in Chennai that I learnt making rasagullas as milk used to curdle every other day and I had to find a way of putting it to good use.

Turns out that my kids have become huge fans of rasagullas. Whenever Ma leaves Bangalore, they ask her to bring 'Lottotullas' for them. There's nothing like Kolkata's fresh rasagullas from Mishtir Dokan. But my version is quite good too. If you have the sugar syrup left after finishing all the rasagullas, don't throw it. You can make Bengali chutney using the sugar syrup.

Source: Sailu's Kitchen

1 litre milk gave approximately 25 small rasagullas

Ingredients:
1 lt milk
3 tbsps lemon juice
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
pinch of cardamom pwd

Method:
1. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and boil milk. Once its boiled, slowly add the lemon juice and you will find that the milk will curdle and the whey will separate. The whey will become clear which is an indication that the milk has curdled completely. Immediately add about 10-12 ice cubes and turn off flame. Leave aside for 3-4 mins.
2. Strain the whey and add the chenna to a damp cheese cloth or a light cotton cloth. Gather the four corners of the cloth and twist it gently and rinse under cold water to remove the sourness of the lemon juice. Tie the ends and hang it at a height and allow the whey from the chenna to drain completely. Leave aside for 30 mts.
3. Remove the chenna onto a wide plate. Now knead it gently for 7 mts till there is no trace of moisture and is absolutely soft on touch. This is a very crucial step in the process of rasgulla making.
4. While you are kneading the chenna, prepare the sugar syrup. Place a pressure cooker on the stove and add water and sugar and allow the sugar to dissolve. Bring it to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of cardamom pwd.

5. While the sugar syrup is cooking, make small smooth balls of the kneaded chenna. Ensure there are no cracks on the balls. Slowly add the chenna balls to the boiling sugar syrup. Place lid and pressure cook upto 1 whistle and continue to cook for another 4 mts.
6. Turn off heat. Once the pressure is off, remove the lid. The balls will double in size and become light and springy on touch. If you feel that the balls are not cooked yet, place lid and cook for another 5 mts without the whistle at medium heat.

I'm sending this to Flavours of Bengal event hosted by Priya and origintaed by Nayna