Pahala Rasagolla
Spongy, light brown color and milder in sweet soft cottage cheese balls dunked in cardamom flavored thin sugar syrup. The color here is by the touch of caramelized sugar.
Ingredients
For Chhena -
- 2 liter Milk
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 4 tbsp Water
For Rasagolla-
- 2½ cup Sugar + 2.5 tbsp
- 5 cup Water + 1 tsp
- 1 tsp Semolina
- 3-4 no. Cardamom pod
Instructions
Prepare Chhena -
- Boil milk in a pan over high heat.
- When it comes to rolling boil, lower to medium heat and boil for 1-2 minutes more.
- Turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, make a mixtue of vinegar and water in a small bowl.
- Add this mixture to the milk little by little till it starts curdling, keep stirring until the whey water (green color) completely separates from the milk solids (chhena).
- Place a cheese cloth or thin cotton cloth over a container and strain.
- Wash the chhena twice at least under cold water to get rid of the vinegar flavor.
- Bring the edges of the cloth to the center, squeeze out gently (not too tight), tie a knot and hang it in the sink tap.
- Allow the water to drip by itself.
- After about 40-45 minutes, transfer the chenna into a wide plate or onto a clean kitchen counter.
- Start kneading the chhena with the heal of your palm for 8-10 minutes.
- The crumbliness of chhena will soon convert to a smooth texture of dough.
- Now add 1/2 tbsp sugar, semolina and mix well with the chhena.
- Then again start kneading till the semolina seems soft.
- Keep aside the chhena in the bowl covered by a plate.
Prepare the thin Syrup -
- Take 2 tbsp sugar along with 1 tsp water in a wide bottom pan and turn on heat over high heat.
- Soon the sugar starts to caramalize, immediately lower the heat.
- First pour 1 cup water carefully into the pan, start stirring soon.
- When the caramelized sugar melted completely, pour rest 4 cup of water along with the cardamom pods.
- Start boiling over high heat.
Prepare the Rasagolls -
- Take the chhena dough and knead a bit.
- Make equal sized smooth balls (around 1-1.5 inch) from the dough, keep an eye for no crack on the balls.
- Keep aside on a plate.
- When the syrup comes to rolling boil, gently drop first 1-2 balls.
- Dont add all the balls at a time in the biginning, this will lower the temperature of the syrup.
- Gently add few more balls in step wise, keeping an eye for the boiling which should not stop at any point of time.
- Cover the pan and allow to boil for 10 minutes over high heat.
- Then, stir them gently and again cover and allow to boil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- By the time, rasagollas must be doubled in size.
- Take out the cover and keep on heat for 5 minutes more.
- Finally turn off heat and allow to cool down.
- Serve pahala rasagolla either warm or chilled !
Notes
- The boiling of the syrup should not stop at any point in time.
- Don't add all the chhena balls at a time which will lower the temperature of the syrup.
- There should not be any crack over the balls, else while boiling the chhena balls will break and there will be a complete mesh.
- I have used sooji here, instead of that maida can be used in the same quantity.
- Always use full-fat milk to get a good amount of chhena.