Ras Malai

Ras Malai is a Bengali dessert consisting of soft paneer balls immersed in chilled creamy,sweet, flavoured milk.

Ingredients

For Ras Malai balls

·         4 cups milk

·         1/4 cup lemon juice

·         1 1/2 cups sugar

·         4 1/2 cups water

For the Milk Mixture

·         3 cups of milk

·         2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar (according to your taste)

·         2 cardamom pods

·         1-2 tbsp sliced almonds and pistachios to garnish

Method

1. Mix lemon juice in half a cup of hot water and keep aside.
2. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently making sure milk does not burn .
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
5. Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. 
6. To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about one hour. 
7. To check if enough water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
8. If the paneer is too dry, add a few drops of water, using the water squeezed from the paneer.
9. Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.
10. Knead the paneer in the palm of your hand,keep scooping it back to together and knead more. Your palm will be little greasy.
11. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them in smooth balls, lightly flatten.
12. Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.
13. Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes. The paneer balls will have doubled in size.
14. Turn off the heat and wait a few minutes before opening the pressure cooker. 
15. Take out the balls from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.
16. Boil the milk in a frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.
17. Make sure to frequently stir the milk so it does not burn.
18. Add the sugar and the Ras malai balls in milk. Let it cook for few minutes.
19. Add the cardamom and mix in. Once it boils, turn off the heat. Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios.

20. Serve the Ras malai chilled.