This mix of aromas and ingredients make each Bengali sweet an exciting adventure for the palate. One of the most acclaimed Bengali sweets is rasmalai. This dessert has its origins in West Bengal and was created by the Bengali chef KC Das in 1930. It is a sweet that is based on rasgulla, another dish from the Bengal region.
Rasgulla is made from chenna, a fresh cheese used to prepare desserts. To prepare this dish, cottage cheese can be used, if the original is not available. The word Ras Malai means nectar (ras) and cream (malai). The preparation has a soft and creamy texture.
Ras malai is made of moist, flattened balls of chenna, similar to cottage cheese. It also contains pistachios and/or almonds. It also contains milk flavoured with cardamom. This makes it not suitable for vegans or people allergic to dairy products.
The scent of cardamom penetrates the diner's senses because of its intensity, and gives a slight but pleasant stinging sensation. This type of fresh cheese contains high biological value proteins, even more than milk, which means that it helps the development and regeneration of body tissues.
It is low in fat, so its caloric intake is lower than that of other cheeses. It contains minerals such as phosphorus, useful in the formation of bones and teeth, as well as vitamin B12, which helps the health of red blood cells.
Pistachios, for their part, contain fiber, which is important for the proper functioning of the intestines. They provide us with a high percentage of iron, an essential mineral in the formation of hemoglobin and, therefore, for the oxygenation of the body. Iron also prevents diseases such as anemia. Pistachios also contain antioxidants that prevent multiple diseases.
The diner usually uses a spoon to eat the balls with their liquid content and not miss anything. This is one of the most popular sweets around Kolkata, which is why it is recommended to always make more. This recipe is for two servings, so estimate how much you will prepare based on the number of diners you want to delight.
Round off a meal with a delicious serving of rasamalai, a bengali sweet with a delicate flavour and a pleasant texture. Once you learn the recipe, it will become one of your favourites. Don't forget to involve the little ones in the preparation of this type of dessert, that way they will appreciate it much more.
Ingredients:
- 100 gr pistachios
- 6 tablespoon sugar
- 15 gr cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoon condensed milk
- 20 shelled pistachios
- 10 almonds
- 8 cardamom seeds
- A few strands of saffron
- Sprigs of mint
Preparation:
Put the pistachios in a food processor until they become flour. To do this, use the kitchen appliance at high power, so that the pistachios are chopped as finely as possible.
Take a bowl and put the cheese, cornstarch and sugar inside to mash it . The ingredients should be well integrated with each other. Add the pistachio powder to the previous mixture and stir until a uniform and compact consistency is achieved.
To this homogeneous mixture, add the milk and a little more sugar and cornstarch (if necessary to thicken the mixture). Continue stirring.
In a separate pot, add 3 tablespoons of milk and cook until it comes to a boil. Then add the mixture and turn off the heat. Let it cool.
Put this dough in the refrigerator so that it solidifies a little more. Remove the cardamom seeds and crush them or grind them into powder using a utensil of your choice. The idea is to make it as fine as possible. Set aside.
For the milk soup, chop the almonds and pistachios. Set aside. Remove the dough from the fridge and form balls with your hands. Take a pot and add the liquid ingredients: the two cups of liquid milk and the condensed milk. Add the sugar and cardamom. Bring to a boil and add the pistachio and almond pieces. Let it simmer over medium-low heat for about five minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the cheese balls and pistachios. Serve and sprinkle with saffron threads. Also, garnish the dish with a sprig of mint to make it look more attractive and give it aroma.
