Rasgulla (Rosgolla)

Rasgulla or Rosgolla are spongy, soft and fluffy white balls, made from paneer/cottage cheese, semolina and imersed in a sugar syrup. Rasgullas are similar to rasmalais except that the balls are put into sugar syrup after being cooked, not in creamy sweet milk - malai. They are made by curdling milk. Then separating the chenna (paneer or indian cottage cheese) and then by draining in a muslin cloth. The drained chenna is kneaded and then rolled to balls. These are cooked in sugar syrup till they turn light and spongy.

How to make Rasgulla:

A. Make Chenna:

1. Disolve the citric acid in the water. Keep aside.
2. Bring milk to a boil in stainless bottom heavy pan. Then let it cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the citric acid solution or lemon juice. Stir gently. The milk should start curdle and the whey seperate.
4. Allow to rest for few minutes. Then strain out the whey using a cleam muslin clouth. Try to squiz out the whey so the mil solids get drained out.
5. Put the chenna on a plate and knead very gently so that is free of lumps.
6. Use it immediately.

Tip:

• Sometimes you may need more acid to get the milk to curdle. Vinegar also can be added instead of lemon juice. Another option is 2-3 tbsp buttermilk or yogurt.
• To get correct texture in rasgulla, the chenna has to have a right moisture. When chenna is to watery, rasgullas will disintegrates or break while cooking. If there is too little moisture, rasgulla sbecome rubbery and dense, and may shrink or flatten after they cooked.

B. Make Rasgulla Balls:

1. Add 1 tsp semolina (sooji/rava) to the chenna. (You can substitute with all purpose flour or 1 tsp corn starch for gluten free recipe). Knead chenna with your palms. This process is very important because we have to get the right texture of chenna. If chenna is watery, add some flour. If chenna is to dry, sprinkle it with some water or add 1 tsp milk. It should take about 5-6 minutes.
2. Form a smooth ball of chenna which should be able to come together without breaking or falling apart.
3. Now, take a small portions from the chenna ball and roll with your hands into a small, round, smooth ball. Repeat the process till you use all of the chenna.
4. When done put them aside and cover with moist cloth.

C. Make Sugar Syrup:

1. Add 4 cups water to large pot or pan so that there is enough room to put and space rasgulla. (When cooking the rasgulla will expand and increase in size).
2. Heat the sugar solution over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Keep cooking it till reduces in half. The mixture of water and sugar shoul be thick but not to thick.
3. Add the saffron (optional), and cardamoms powder and mix.
4. Keep aside.

Next:

1. Pour 1 cup sugar syrup into seperate glass to add it later while cooking.
2. Bring sugar soultion to a boil and then gently slide the rasgulla balls into the pot. Be very carefull while stiring the rasgulla with a spoon. You can just gently shake the pot instead to seperate the rasgullas.
3. Cover the pot with the lid and cook for about 4 minutes on medium high heat.
4. Then take the lid off and add reserved in a glass sugar syrup to ensure there is a right remperature of the sugar syrup. Cook for the next 5 minutes. After this time the rasgullas should be ready. Make sure that rasgullas balls are not overcooked, as they become rubbery and dense. To check if rasgulas are cooked, take one rasgulla piece and keep it in a bowl of water. If the rasgulla settles at the bottom, it is cooked. If it floats on the surface of the water, it is undercooked.
5. When done, turn off the gas, cool down the rasgulas and then add rose syrup. If there are any inpurinities in the syrup you can gently take out rasgullas and strain the suryp. You can also add 1 tbsp of milk. And then put rasgullas in serving bowls and add sugar syrup. You can serve the rasgulla now or refrigerate them for up to 1 week in air-tight container. They can be served later cold.

TIP:

• Some flavoring has to be added to the syrup, otherwise you will get a milky taste in the rasgulla. In case the milky taste is there, then you can increase the amount of rosewater or kewra water and cardamom powder.