Rasgulla

Making chenna for rasgulla Bring milk to a boil in a pot

If using non-homogenized milk (milk from milkman), then keep the pot aside

Wait for 5 mins

If using homogenized milk from packets or cartons then reduce the flame to low

Add 2 tbsp lemon juice & stir until the milk curdles

If it doesn’t curdle, add more & stir

When you see the milk curdled completely, Switch off the stove

Rest for 2 mins

Then pour cold water to the pot

This will stop the chena from cooking further & keeps it soft

Place a colander over a large bowl & line with a thin cloth

Drain the curdled milk

Rinse the chenna under running water to remove the acidic flavor

Tie the cloth

Squeeze it well to remove the excess whey as much as possible

Hang it for 1 to 1½ hours

Chenna should not have any excess whey

It must be crumbly

Making sugar syrup Add sugar, cardamoms & water to a wide pan or pot

Make sure you use a wide pot good enough to hold all the rasgullas

The balls will cook & almost double in size only if there is enough space in the pot

Stir to dissolve the sugar

Bring it to a boil

How to make rasgulla Knead the chenna well to make it a smooth dough for 3 to 5 mins

I do it just for 3 mins

Do not over knead to the extent that the chenna turns greasy or soggy

When you see the mixture turns uniformly smooth and no more grainy, then stop kneading

Take small portions of this and roll to tiny balls

They should be tiny and not big as they expand in size after boiling

I made about 16

Add rose water to the sugar syrup

(optional)

Bring the sugar syrup to a rolling boil on a medium flame

Remove the cardamom pods

Then add the balls one after the other gently

Cover the pot immediately with a lid

The syrup must be boiling steadily at a constant heat

Cook on a medium flame for 9 to 10 mins

The syrup must be bubbling & boiling steadily through out this time

So adjust the heat as needed depending on the kind of pot & stove used

After 5 mins gently stir the sugar syrup once with a skewer without touching the rasgullas

Cover immediately

This ensures even cooking and puffing

During the cooking time if you feel the heat is too much reduce the heat slightly, but ensure it is still bubbling & boiling

After 10 mins, remove the pot immediately from the stove to prevent rasgulla from cooking further

Keep the lid closed always otherwise they will shrink or fall flat

Do not open at least for 20 mins

They double in size and also sink in syrup when cooked completely

Allow rasgulla to rest and cool completely

Serve them chilled

If desired garnish with saffron

Optional Once the rasgullas have rested for a while, taste the sugar syrup and check for sweetness

If you prefer more sweeter rasgullas or syrup, then add ¼ cup sugar to a small pot

With the help of a ladle transfer about 3/4 cup sugar syrup to the pot and make a sugar syrup

Cool this and pour to the rasgulla pot or pan