Rasmalai
রসমালাই
Flattened chhena dumplings served in saffron- or cardamom-scented milk. It is a popular festive dessert.
About this dish
Flattened chhena dumplings served in saffron- or cardamom-scented milk. It is a popular festive dessert. The recipe here chooses one named variation from that wider tradition; household fillings, shapes and serving styles may differ.
Recipe
Rasmalai in saffron milk
Patties
- 250 g moist fresh chenna
- 1 tsp fine semolina
Poaching syrup
- 250 g sugar
- 750 ml water
Milk
- 1 L whole milk
- 60 g sugar
- pinch of saffron
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 20 g slivered almonds
- 20 g chopped pistachios
- 1/2 tsp rose water
- 1
Milk: 1 L whole milk; 60 g sugar; pinch of saffron; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Simmer milk gently in a wide pan, stirring and scraping the sides, until reduced to about 700 ml. Stir in milk sugar, saffron, cardamom and nuts; cool. Use low heat and scrape milk solids back in; judge reduction by volume, then cool promptly and refrigerate.
- 2
Patties: 250 g moist fresh chenna; 1 tsp fine semolina. Knead chenna with semolina until smooth, about 6 minutes. Divide into 12 and flatten into small crack-free patties. Chenna should be moist, not dripping or hard. Knead out lumps and smooth cracks without compressing patties hard.
- 3
Poaching syrup: 250 g sugar; 750 ml water. Bring syrup sugar and water to a steady simmer. Add patties with expansion room, cover and cook 20-25 minutes, until enlarged and spongy. Dissolve sugar first, leave expansion room and maintain a steady gentle bubble; patties should puff and become spongy.
- 4
Cool patties in syrup, then gently press out excess syrup between palms. Add to saffron milk with rose water; refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Press very gently so patties stay whole, add to cooled flavored milk and keep refrigerated for the full soak.
Note
Use moist freshly made chenna rather than firm block paneer. The syrup cooks the patties; the flavored milk is the final serving liquid.