Rasmalai

Rasmalai is an Indian delicacy often categorized as a Milk Sweet. It is made from Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and it makes a great dessert and is served chilled.


Ingredients:

* Milk : 3 cups ( For Paneer)
* Milk : 3 cups (for malai)
* Cardamom: 1/2 tbsp
* Sugar : 2 cup (for making syrup)
* Sugar : 1/2 cup (for malai)
* Pista : 2 tsp
* Cashew paste : 1 tbsp
* Almonds: 2tsp
* Lemon Juice: 2tbsp

Method Of Preparation:

Preparing paneer:

1. Boil the milk ( I used 2% milk ) in a heavy bottomed vessel about 8 minutes by stirring constantly and when it comes to boil add 2 tbsp of lemon juice slowly.
2. Now the milk fat separates from the water retains the protein while the fat gets washed away in the whey water ( stir it slowly). – thanks Mythreyee.
3. Now strain the curdled milk using a fine muslin cloth.
4. Add some cold water in the strainer so it takes out the flavor of lemon from the paneer.
5. Allow it drain completely (may be an hour or half an hour) .
6. After that squeeze the muslin cloth (with paneer) so as much water in it comes out (make sure there should be no water in that paneer)
7. Then remove it and knead to a smooth dough (If you want to make sure if the paneer is ready just take a little bit in your palm and rub it using your thumb for few seconds and you should be able to make a small smooth ball ).
8. Make a small balls and flatten slightly.

Preparing Rasamalai:

1. Boil water with two cups of sugar and when it comes to boil add the paneer balls in to it and pressure cook it for about 7 minutes (make sure you put enough paneer balls in the pressure cooker so there should be some space to expand) .
2. When you pressure cook the paneer balls will expand and it becomes double the size. Keep it aside.
3. For preparing malai boil milk with sugar, 1 tbsp of ground cashew paste, a pinch of saffron, and cardamom in a medium flame
4. The milk should get reduced in to 2 cups so the boiling will take about 20 to 30 minutes .
5. Now remove the pressure cooked paneer balls from the sugar syrup and press it gently to remove the water . keep it aside.
6. Once the milk isreduced into 2 cups add the paneer balls one by one slowly in to the boiling malai so the paneer balls absorb the milk and let it stand in the medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Garnish it with pista, almonds.