Rasgulla recipe

Method33 steps · about 2 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the pot and discard the water. Bring 1 litre whole milk to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching or a cream layer forming.

   Uses 1 litre whole milk · separate pot-rinsing and curd-rinsing water; discard

   
2. 2

   Step 2: For non-homogenized milk, take the pot off the heat and wait 5 minutes before adding lemon juice. For homogenized milk, use step 3 instead.

   Uses ONLY off-heat wait route

3. 3

   Step 3: For homogenized milk, reduce the heat to low before adding lemon juice. Skip the off-heat wait in step 2.

   Uses ONLY low-heat route

4. 4

   Step 4: Add 2 tbsp lemon juice to the hot milk using the selected route. Stir until it curdles.

   Uses ONLY chosen homogenized route instead wait · ONLY chosen non-homogenized route · 2 tbsp initial lemon juice

   
5. 5

   Step 5: If needed, add up to the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice and stir until the curds separate completely from the whey.

   Uses same milk after first lemon addition · only remaining optional1Tb lemon from original supply

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Turn off the heat once the milk separates completely. Rest for 2 minutes.

   Uses same batch ready to stop cooking

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add 1 litre ice-cold water, or a few ice cubes, to stop the curds cooking.

   Uses same batch after two-minute rest · 1 litre ice-cold cooling water, or a few ice cubes; discard when draining

8. 8

   Step 8: Line a colander with a thin clean cloth and drain the cooled curds, discarding the whey and cooling water.

   Uses same curd batch after separate ice cooling

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Rinse the drained chenna with fresh running water to remove the lemon flavor. Discard the rinse water.

   Uses same milk solids, whey discarded · separate pot-rinsing and curd-rinsing water; discard

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Tie the cloth. Squeeze it well to remove the excess whey as much as possible.

    Uses same solids after separate discarded rinse

11. 11

    Step 11: Hang the squeezed cloth of chenna for 1–1½ hours. It should be moist and crumbly without dripping whey. Drain longer if necessary, keeping the curds from drying out completely.

    Uses same curds ready to hang

    
12. 12

    Step 12: In a separate wide pan, combine 1½ cups sugar, 4 cups syrup water and 3 green cardamom pods.

    Uses 1½ cups initial syrup sugar · 4 cups syrup water · 3 green cardamom pods

13. 13

    Step 13: Choose a pan wide enough to hold all the rasgullas comfortably.

    Uses same measured initial syrup stock

14. 14

    Step 14: Leave room between the balls: they will almost double in size as they cook.

    Uses same stock, sufficient room for expansion

15. 15

    Step 15: Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring it to a boil.

    Uses same stock ready to dissolve/boil

16. 16

    Step 16: Knead the drained chenna for about 3–5 minutes until smooth and uniform. Stop before it turns greasy or soggy.

    Uses same solids ready to knead

17. 17

    Step 17: Avoid overworking the dough; it should stay soft without releasing grease.

    Uses same batch, avoid overworking

18. 18

    Step 18: Stop kneading when the dough is uniformly smooth and no longer grainy.

    Uses same dough ready to stop kneading

    
19. 19

    Step 19: Divide the smooth dough into 18 small portions. Roll into smooth balls without cracks.

    Uses same complete batch

20. 20

    Step 20: Keep the balls small so they have room to expand. Cover and reserve them until the syrup is ready.

    Uses same divided/rolled batch

    
21. 21

    Step 21: Add the optional ½ tsp rose water to the prepared syrup.

    Uses same syrup, ready for optional rose water · ½ tsp optional rose water

22. 22

    Step 22: Bring the sugar syrup to a rolling boil on a medium flame.

    Uses same optional-flavor choice

23. 23

    Step 23: Remove the cardamom pods from the boiling syrup. Gently add the 18 prepared chenna balls.

    Uses same rolled batch, not new raw milk · same stock, remove cardamoms

24. 24

    Step 24: Cover the pot immediately with a lid.

    Uses same combined batch

25. 25

    Step 25: The syrup must be boiling steadily at a constant heat.

    Uses same cooking batch

26. 26

    Step 26: Cook over medium heat for 9–10 minutes in total. Set a 5-minute reminder for the gentle syrup stir in step 27. Keep the syrup bubbling steadily without boiling too fiercely.

    Midpoint syrup stir · 5 minUses same balls/syrup, total9–10min cook

27. 27

    Step 27: After the first 5 minutes, briefly uncover and gently stir the syrup with a skewer without touching the balls. Cover immediately.

    Uses five-minute action within the ongoing total cook

28. 28

    Step 28: Continue boiling for another 4–5 minutes to complete the total 9–10-minute cook. Keep the syrup bubbling steadily, reducing the heat if necessary.

    Finish cooking rasgullas · 5 minUses same ongoing timed cook

29. 29

    Step 29: At the end of the total 9–10 minutes, immediately remove the covered pot from the heat.

    Uses same batch at total9–10min

30. 30

    Step 30: Leave the lid closed for at least 20 minutes to keep the rasgullas from shrinking or collapsing.

    Rest covered · 20 minUses same pot for minimum20min covered rest

31. 31

    Step 31: They double in size and also sink in syrup when cooked completely.

    Uses same batch after covered rest

32. 32

    Step 32: Let the rasgullas cool. For extra sweetness, transfer about ¾ cup of their existing syrup to a small pan. Dissolve the optional extra ¼ cup sugar in it, cool and pour all of this syrup back into the rasgulla pot.

    Uses same batch; optional syrup aliquot returned entirely · ¼ cup optional extra sugar · ¾ cup existing syrup, only for dissolving optional extra sugar; cool and return all

33. 33

    Step 33: Once cooled, refrigerate until chilled. Serve with the optional pinch of saffron (1 pinch).

    Uses same finished batch ready to chill · 1 pinch optional saffron