Ras malai is a delicate Indian dessert, made of paneer that’s been soaked in sweet milk. The dough essentially absorbs the flavours and then falls apart in your mouth as you bite into it. This explosion of flavour is complemented by nuts and spices like cardamom. It’s a unique confluence of the richness and decadence of milk and the lightness of paneer. It's normally enjoyed chilled and is often a mainstay in festivals and special gatherings. So instead of ordering from outside, why not make this delightful dessert yourself, and impress loved ones? Here’s everything you need to know about this easy milk sweet recipe indian to go about it.
Ingredients:
- 15 Rasgulla – homemade or store bought ones
- 1 litre whole milk
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 12 almonds unsalted – blanched
- 12 pistachios unsalted – blanched
- ½ cup water for blanching the almonds and pistachios
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- 2 teaspoons rose water
- 10 saffron strands, plus more for garnish
Directions:
- Bring water to a boil in a small bowl and then turn off the heat. Add the almonds and pistachios to it and cover the bowl. Set aside for about 40 minutes. After the time has passed, peel the nuts and slice them finely. Set aside.
- In a pan, add the milk and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Stir at intervals, to ensure that it doesn't burn or stick to the base.
- Take 2 spoons of the hot milk in a bowl. Add the crushed saffron strands to this milk and cover. Stir well and set aside.
- With the main pan, once the milk has come to a boil, lower the heat and let the milk continue to simmer. Whatever malai forms in the milk can be pushed to the sides. In this way, stirring occasionally, keep cooking till the milk has reduced to half its original volume. Remember to keep stirring and keep collecting the malai that forms on top near the sides.
- Now, add the sugar and stir well until it dissolves completely.
- Then add the cardamom powder to the milk.
- Next, add the blanched and sliced nuts. Reserve a few nuts for later when you're garnishing.
- Now add the saffron infused milk to the pan.
- The whole time, keep stirring gently. The milk should continue simmering on low heat.
- Take the rasgullas and press down on them so that the excess liquid oozes out. Be very gentle when you're doing this. You want to squeeze out the liquid but not break the rasgullas.
- Now slowly add the rasgullas to the simmering milk and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
- Then turn off the heat and add the rose water to the mixture. Stir gently.
- Cover the pan and let the ras malai come to room temperature. Then transfer to a bowl and store in the fridge to chill completely.
- When ready to serve, garnish with the almonds and pistachios and add a few saffron strands too. You can serve ras malai at room temperature or even chilled.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- If you’re using store bought rasgullas, make sure they are fresh and moist. They should not be too hard or cracked.
- Use whole, full fat milk for this recipe, or the malai won't form on top and you won't be able to make the ras malai.
- To store, keep in an airtight container and it will stay good for about 3 days. So you can make this dessert ahead and then serve it at a party or dinner.
- For garnish, other than almonds and pistachios, you can also use cashews or pine nuts.
- If you don't have rose water for flavouring, you can also use green cardamom powder, saffron, or kewra water.
- Depending on how many people you're serving, the recipe can be doubled or halved.
- In case you're wondering, the main difference between rasgulla and ras malai is that the rasgullas are cooked in a sugar syrup. But when they are then cooked in flavoured milk, they become ras malai.
- The leftover milk after cooking can be had as a flavourful beverage on its own.
- If you're low on time, you can just soak the rasgullas in the milk. But it's better to simmer since it will absorb the milk and flavour more deeply then.