Process of making Rasgulla
Making rasgulla involves creating fresh cottage cheese (chenna) from milk, kneading it into smooth balls, and then cooking them in a light sugar syrup until they become soft and spongy.
Ingredients
For Chenna:
1 liter full-fat milk (cow's milk is best)
2-3 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar mixed with equal parts water
For Sugar Syrup:
1.5 cups sugar
4-5 cups water
3-4 green cardamom pods, crushed (optional)
1 tsp rose water (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1: Preparing the Chenna (Cottage Cheese)
1. Boil the milk : In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
2. Curdle the milk : Turn off the heat. Gradually add the lemon juice/vinegar solution and stir gently until the milk curdles and the white solids (chenna) separate from the greenish whey water. If it doesn't curdle completely, add a little more acid solution.
3. Strain the chenna : Line a colander or large sieve with a clean muslin or cotton cloth. Pour the curdled milk mixture into the cloth to strain the whey.
4. Rinse and drain : Immediately rinse the chenna under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove the sour taste of the lemon or vinegar.
5. Remove excess water : Gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze out the excess water. The chenna should be moist, not dry, and not dripping wet. Hang it for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to ensure the right moisture content. Do not place a heavy weight on it, as this can make the chenna dry and the rasgullas hard.
Part 2: Kneading and Shaping
1. Knead the chenna : Transfer the moist chenna to a wide plate. Use the heel of your palm to mash and knead the chenna for about 5-10 minutes until it is smooth, soft, and free of any grains or lumps. Over-kneading can cause them to shrink after cooking, so stop when your palm feels slightly greasy.
2. Form the ball : Divide the smooth chenna into small, equal-sized portions. Roll each portion gently between your palms to form smooth, crack-free balls. Keep the balls covered with a moist cloth to prevent them from drying out. Remember the balls will double in size while cooking.
Part 3: Cooking the Rasgullas
1. Prepare the sugar syrup : In a large, deep pot or pressure cooker, combine the sugar, water, and crushed cardamom pods. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. The syrup should be thin and watery, not thick.
2. Cook the rasgullas : Gently drop the chenna balls one by one into the rapidly boiling sugar syrup. Make sure there is enough space for them to expand.
3. Boil :
In a pot : Cover the pot with a lid and boil on medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes. Do not open the lid frequently.
In a pressure cooker : Close the lid without the whistle and cook on a medium-low flame for 7-8 minutes after the first whistle, or use the no-whistle method as suggested in some recipes.
4. Cool and soak : Turn off the heat. The rasgullas will have doubled in size. You can immediately place them in an ice-cold water bath to help them retain their shape and sponginess. Once cooled, transfer them to a serving bowl, pour the leftover sugar syrup over them, and add rose water if desired.
5. Serve chilled : Refrigerate the rasgullas in the syrup for a few hours before serving for the best taste. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
