Follow me on Twitter. Fan us on Facebook . Visit my Flickr photostream.
Once upon a time there lived a Bengali who loved sweets. Does it seem to be starting of some fairy tale from Thakurmar Jhuli? I’m not trying to tell you any stories here, but I’m sure if you want to share your thoughts for Bengali and our love for sweets, I can very well start like this. Sweets in Bengali diet seem to be indispensible. Be it a piece of sandesh and a spoonful of misti doi at the end of the meal or the huge platter of sweets for any social ceremonies. Bengalis can not be complete without sweets.
When we thought of conducting a poll at Cook Like a Bong FaceBook page on which is the best Sweet shop in Kolkata, we actually couldn’t come to a conclusion. With so many comments (of course thanks to all the sweet loving enthusiasts for their valuable comments), but each had a name for a different shop. Starting from Nakur, Bhim Nag and Putiram to Ganguram, Sen Mahashay, Mithai and many more.
Even though these days’ people are calorie conscious and stay away from gorging on those extra calories, but still can you just think of letting go a chance to bite on some white and mushy rasgulla (rasogolla)?
Rasgullas are soft white balls made with farmer’s cheese (chana) dipped in sugar syrup. Khirmohon, as it was earlier called in Orissa (the actual birth place of this sweet elixir), rasgulla first appeared in the sweets shops of Kolkata during the mid of 19th century. Even though controversies prevail, Nabin Das is said to be the “Rasogolla Columbus” of Bengal who introduced this sweet to the residents of Bengal. Rasgulla was in vogue in Orissa since centuries, but it gained popularity in Bengal and has now become one of the most sought after sweets. Be it presented in a clay pot (handi) or in cans – rasogolla remains in the heart of all Bengalis and I just can’t forget that song “Ami Kolkatar rasogolla….”. If you are not satisfied with only rasogolla, then you can have a taste of a derivative of this Bengali sweet, rasomalai also called rasogolla payes.
If you are just craving to have some of these then here’s the recipe for this coveted Bengali dessert from a special guest, Sohini Biswas. Sohini is a regular contributor to the Cook Like a Bong Facebook page and we thought of publishing this Bengali sweet recipe from her kitchen.
Ingredients:
For the Gollas:
2 litre of Full Fat Cow’s Milk (will make about 24 Rosogollas)
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon Semolina/Sooji
1 tablespoon Plain Flour/Maida
1 teaspoon Sugar
Muslin Cloth/Fine strainer
For the Sugar Syrup:
5 cups Water
3 – 4 cups Granulated Sugar (depending on whether u have a sweet tooth or not!)
½ teaspoon Crushed Green Cardamom
2 teaspoon Rose water
1 small pinch Saffron
Method:
For the Gollas:
- Heat the milk in a deep bottomed sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Add the lemon juice slowly to curdle the milk.
- Once the milk is fully curdled and the green whey has been released. Place the muslin cloth on a strainer and slowly drain the whey out.
- Keep the paneer under cool running water for a few seconds (this will remove any smell of lime).
- Tie the ends of the cloth and hang for an hour. In a large bowl start kneading the paneer.
- Add the semolina and flour and knead for about 5-10 mins till the dough is soft and smooth.
- Divide into equal sized round smooth balls (keep an eye on the size of the balls as they will get bigger-about double the original size!!). Make sure the balls are crack free.
For the Syrup and the Rosogollas:
- Heat water and sugar in a wide mouth stock pot.
- Add the rose water and cardamom powder after the water starts boiling and the sugar is dissolved.
- Lower the heat and add the balls one at a time.
- Cover the pot and cook on lowest flame for about 40-45 mins.
- Remove lid and add the saffron strands and cook for another 5 mins.
- Take the pan off heat and let it sit for 5 mins. Garnish with roughly chopped pistachios and serve warm.
Can be refridgerated upto 5 days in an airtight container.
Subscribe in a reader
Thanks for sharing the recipe.However I want to know about 1tsp sugar mentioned in the Ing. for making balls.Are you sure that rasgullas are to be cooked on low heat.I cook them on high flame for 15 minutes and they turn out fine.I want to try this recipe also.
Sudha
Hi Sudha,
I think both the process works out great.
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing on your rss feed and I am
hoping you write again soon!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe! Rasgullas came out real tasty but they were not round as the one from the market.also the size became small as the gas was turned off.please help?
Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe! I tried it,rasgulla are tasty but they are not round like the ones from the market.They became flat and size also reduced after I turned off the gas.I don’t know where I have gone wrong!Please,can you give me some tip about this?
Sudha,
Its probably because of the way of making the balls. You should use a little more chenna while making the balls and roll it out with your palms, as you do with the atta for making roti balls.
Hi again – The first time I followed this recipe, it came out very well. But today, the rasgullas are very hard. What did I do wrong? They didn’t crack but were not soft and spongy. Help please!
Aparajita,
It might be that you have kneaded the paneer too much.
so many times i have tried this but every time it used to crack while boiling in the syrup and i think these binding agents will help me next time to prepare fine rasgullas and thank you very much for this recipe and by reading these suggestions our doubts are cleared
Haima,
The trick is in kneading the paneer. If the kneading is not done well or done too much the balls with break. Knead just till the paneer is soft and your palms feel the fat coming out.
I finally got the rasogolla right today:)) The hardest part was not the kneading but making the balls smooth without any cracks. Thankyou Sudeshna, sohini and Arijit too.
Arijit because of his comment about making the rasogollas without suji or maida. I made it only outta panir and it has come out really really well.
The rasogollas are hot and just outta the cooker even as I am posting this:) Couldn’t wait to share it:D
Thanks again.
P.S – You know guys, I have been trying to make them for the past 20 years and failing miserably. But I finally got it right.
Aparajita,
Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
Will adding the semolina and maida prevent the balls from cracking when they are boiling in the syrup?
The balls burst if the kneading is not well done. You need to knead it well, once your palms get really oily when your kneading the paneer then you know its done. the semolina and maida acts as a binding agent.
Wow!!!! Rossogulla is my favourite but everytime I try to make them, they crack and mix into the syrup. Is there any way to prevent it? Am surely going to try it out this weekend!!! Cheers!!!
I’d rather hold the flour and the suji – the rest seems pretty fine. You’ve covered most of the ‘trciks’ pretty well, like washing the chana, making ‘crack-free’ balls and boiling on a low flame – kudos for that. You’ve just missed out stressing one – the kneading part. One must knead the chana long enough to make it completely cohesive – otherwise the end product will be cracky. And of course, all the garnishings are optional – after all the original ones come without a garnish.
Good Work!
Bengali meal can’t be completed without dessert. And who can resist these ros bhora Rosogolla !!! Here in Bangalore we have K.c. Das shop to enjoy these kind of sweets. Daarun hoyeche dekhte..
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
looks awesome! must come & taste them someday they look so invitingyummy ! hehehe!!!!!!!!!!!!! must have been tastier! thanks for enlightening us !
God bless u awesome recipes !
rasogullas, one of the best dishes of the Indian Bengali Cuisine Recipes
Such good looking rasgulla’s. Its my fav fav sweet that was very created.
Is this really a recipe by the lady Sohini Biswas?
I have a friend who has sent me the recipe, the exact one, same quantities and same process written in Bengali although, and many months back. It was a recipe by her own Aunty.
Will you please check and let me know?
Thanks
Will ask her and let you know
Hi Suchismita,
I got this recipe from a website called ”Show me the Curry” and got a written recipe from my friend a couple of months back. I mixed both the recipes together and came up with the the final recipe. It’s a coincidence that the quantities have matched .Please note that I’ve never claimed that this recipe is my ”Invention”! I’m pretty sure it was not your friend’s aunty’s innvention as well! A popular sweet like Rasogolla has a huge presence all over the internet. Google it and you’ll find everybody giving you the same recipe and quantities :)..just like a recipe for Gajar ka Halwa or a recipe for Matar Paneer!
Regards
Sohini
Loved the post…thanks for posting the recipe 🙂
Sohini,
Thanks a lot for your contribution. Would love to receive more recipes from you.