Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Rasmalai
The most royal of Bengali sweets. Soft, flattened cottage cheese discs soaked in a rich, creamy, saffron-infused milk syrup.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- full-fat cow's milk (for chenna)
- full-fat milk (for rabdi/syrup)
- lemon juice
- sugar
- water
- saffron strands
- cardamom powder
- pistachios
- almonds
Equipment
- Two large pots
- Muslin cloth
Instructions
- 1
Make the Chenna (Cheese)
Boil milk, curdle it with lemon juice, strain through a muslin cloth, and wash it under cold water. Hang it for 30 minutes to drain.
- 2
Knead the Chenna
Knead the drained chenna on a flat plate for 5-7 minutes until it forms a smooth, crack-free dough.
- 3
Shape the Discs
Pinch small balls and flatten them gently into thin discs (they will expand significantly when cooked).
- 4
Boil in Sugar Water
Boil 1 cup sugar with 4 cups water. Drop the discs in, cover, and boil on high heat for 15 minutes until spongy. Turn off heat.
- 5
Squeeze the Discs
Once the discs cool slightly, take them out and gently press them between your palms to squeeze out the sugar water. Keep them aside.
- 6
Prepare the Rabdi (Milk Syrup)
In a separate wide heavy-bottomed pan, boil the second batch of full-fat milk.
- 7
Reduce the Milk
Simmer the milk on low heat, stirring continuously, until it reduces to half its original volume. Scrape the cream from the sides back into the milk.
- 8
Flavor the Rabdi
Add sugar to taste, crushed cardamom, and a generous pinch of saffron strands.
- 9
Add Nuts
Add finely sliced pistachios and almonds to the thickened milk.
- 10
Combine
Drop the squeezed chenna discs into the hot, thickened milk syrup.
- 11
Final Simmer
Simmer them in the milk for exactly 3-4 minutes so the discs absorb the rich, creamy milk. Do not overboil, or they will break.
- 12
Chill and Serve
Turn off the heat. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Cooking Tips
- Squeezing the sugar water out of the boiled discs is essential; otherwise, they will act like full sponges and won't absorb the creamy milk.
- The milk syrup (rabdi) should not be too thick before you add the discs, or it won't penetrate them.
Variations
- Angoori Rasmalai: Made with tiny, grape-sized chenna balls instead of flat discs.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Literally translates to 'Juice Cream' (Ras = Juice, Malai = Cream). The most requested dessert at high-end Indian dinners.
Nutrition Estimate
280 calories · 8g protein · 30g carbs · 14g fat · 1g fiber per serving
