Are you still looking for the last-minute Diwali sweet than look no more? Here is a tested and tried step by step tutorial to homemade Rasgulla recipe. These sweet dumplings are everyone’s favorite and perfect for any festive occasion.
What is Rasgulla?
Rasgulla, a popular milk-based sweet treat that originates from the state of West Bengal. It is prepared from paneer or chena (Indian cottage cheese) which is achieved by curdling the milk. Fresh paneer is drained thoroughly and mashed until smooth. This smooth dough is then shaped into balls and cooked in saffron infused sugar syrup. The end result is rewarding – melt-in-mouth soft and spongy rasgullas.
My First-hand experience!
I have to admit that my first hands-on experience to make rasgulla was not too pleasant. In college during an F&B practical (food and nutrition), my partner and I were given a 45-minute time frame along with a verbal recipe to make rasgullas. Trust me, we messed up the whole recipe and failed badly. Our rasgullas were nowhere near to the actual one – they were rock solid and flat. Since then I was longing to learn how to make a perfect rasgulla recipe.
Practice, Practice, and Practice!
With practice, I have mastered the art of making soft and spongy rasgullas at home. I have summed up my experience below and the steps will walk you through every step. Please do not seek for shortcuts as this will mess up the entire recipe. The perfect round and spongy rasgullas are not difficult to make; it just takes a little bit of time, practice, and patience. Once you have mastered the art of making crack-free paneer balls, I’m confident that the next steps will be easy for you and you will learn the art of making fantastic rasgullas.
Now, onto the recipe!
This recipe is tested and tried many times in my kitchen. Please go through this section thoroughly before you proceed with the recipe. My way of making rasgulla is completely different.
Important Tips!
Always use full cream milk to make rasgullas. The fat content in whole milk makes the best rasgullas. Wait for milk to get bubbly before adding the acid. Milk should reach its boiling point. This will result in perfect chenna/paneer. Quickly strain paneer. Do not let it rest. This will result in hard and chewy rasgullas. Wash paneer before proceeding. This will wash away all the taste of acid from paneer. Squeeze out the excess moisture/water from paneer. If moisture/water is left behind in paneer, the balls will disintegrate during boiling. Knead paneer with your hands. Have tried kneading it in a food processor but the result was not satisfactory. Knead for 8-10 minutes for a smooth dough. The dough should not feel sticky at all.
Tips Contind….
Press paneer dough in between your palms couple of times before rolling it like a ball. This will prevent cracks in rasgullas. Time to boil rasgullas in water. This step is important, please do not skip. Rasgulla is boiled in water and squeezed well before adding to the sugar syrup.
Why do we do this?
Quite simple, this step makes the rasgulla puff up beautifully. Water is squeezed out completely so that it can absorb the sugar syrup.
Rasgullas need plenty of space to expand and maintain their round shape. Do not crowd the pan. If the pan is crowded, rasgullas will lose their shape and become flat. Squeeze all the boiled water out of the rasgullas before adding them to the syrup. Once excess water is removed, rasgullas will become spongy and ready to absorb the syrup. Sugar syrup should not be too thick. If sugar syrup is thick in consistency than it will not absorb the sugar syrup.
This recipe covers two types of rasgulla making – the regular rasgulla recipe and Angoori rasgullas. Give your favorite one a try. I hope this festive season you give this recipe a try. If possible, share your sweet feedback with me. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them.
!!~Happy Diwali~!!
