Indian Rasmalai

After making Bengali Rasgulla at home, I had to try Rasmalai. Everyone loves Rasmalai at my place. A delectable Indian dessert of Rasgullas (cottage cheese or paneer balls) in sweetened condensed milk.

Ingredients:
Whole Milk - 8 cups
Sugar - 1 cup and 2 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Lemon Juice - 2 1/2 tbsp
Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods
Saffron/Kesar - few strands
Pistachios/Pista - 8

How to cook Rasmalai:
Cooking Rasgullas:

• Heat 5 cups milk in a thick bottom vessel. Keep stirring after every 5 minutes. When milk starts boiling, add lemon juice gradually and stir at the same time. Turn off the heat and curdling of milk will take a minute. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
• Line a sieve/strainer with a thin cotton cloth, to separate the milk solids/paneer/chenna and clear liquid/whey. I prefer using 4 layers of a thin cloth. Pour the curdled milk in the cloth lined sieve and rinse the paneer with cold water to wash off the lemon juice.
• When it turns cold enough to handle, gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze with hands to remove whey from paneer. Wrap paneer in the same cloth and place heavy weight on it for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, paneer can be hung as well to get rid of the excess whey.
• Knead the paneer well for about 5 minutes. Divide the paneer/chenna into 15 equal parts. Roll each one between your palms to form a smooth round ball. Slightly flatten the balls to form patties shape. 
• Heat 4 cups water in a big vessel and add 1 cup sugar. When water starts boiling, carefully add the paneer patties. After cooking, the paneer balls will increase to almost double the size, make sure the vessel is big enough. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or till the paneer patties double in size, turn soft and spongy. When Rasgullas cool down, squeeze the sugar syrup and keep them aside.

Sweetened Condensed Milk:

• Crush cardamom seeds and saffron in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Finely chop pistachios.
• Heat 3 cups of milk in a thick bottom vessel. Keep stirring after every 5 minutes. Continue cooking till milk reduces to almost half. Add 2 tbsp sugar, pistachios, cardamom and saffron. Stir for few seconds and turn off the heat.
• To save some time, you can use store bought Sweetened Condensed Milk and dilute it with milk, until you get the desired consistency and sweetness.

Add Rasgullas to the sweetened condensed milk and refrigerate for about an hour. Garnish chilled Rasmalai with nuts.