Fluffiest rasmalai to make at home this Janmashtami

MySweetCorner
DIY Rasmalai

Janmashtami is the time to indulge in your sweet tooth. For those with a yen for Rasmalai, no need to buy it from an outlet nearby. Make the softest, tastiest rasmalai at home. Here’s how:
The recipe is for 14 Rasmalais

Ingredients
2.5 litres of cow milk
2 litres of buffalo milk
A few strands of saffron
3.5 cups sugar
8 almonds and pistachios slivered.
3 tsp green cardamom (elaichi) powder.
4 drops kewra essence

Method:
Step 1: Use 2.5 litre cow milk to make chhena. Boil the milk.

Step 2: After it reaches boiling point, simmer it for a minute and then switch off the gas.

Step 3: Wait for five minutes and then add a cup of water to the milk. This cooling of the milk is crucial as this is what will make your chhena soft.

Step 4: Mix 5 tsp of white vinegar in ¼ cup of water and squeeze one lemon into it.

Step 5: After the milk has cooled for 5 minutes, put the vinegar mix into it and stir till it curdles. The whey and the paneer should be distinctly separated. Pour some more (2 tbsp) vinegar if this does not happen.

Step 6: Once it curdles, sieve it in a cloth and wash it in running water thoroughly. Next, tie the paneer in the cloth and keep it to drain extra water under a heavyweight.

Step 7: Meanwhile, prepare chashni by pouring a litre of water in a kadhai with 1.5 cups of sugar, some kesar strands and elaichi powder. Bring this to a boil and keep it on a boil on a medium flame for at least 5 minutes.

Step 8: By now the paneer would have drained the extra water. Take it out of the cloth and knead it in a paraath for at least 5 minutes or till it becomes like creamy goat cheese. Make 14 small discs from this paneer by rolling it in your palms.

Step 9: Gently slide these tightly rolled discs into the chashni and boil them in it for 7 minutes. All the discs should float in the syrup. Switch off the gas and put a lid on the chashni.

Step 10: Boil 2 litres of full cream buffalo milk for half-hour or till it becomes thicker than its original consistency. Put in 2 cups of sugar, 1 tsp elaichi powder. Soak a few strands of kesar (saffron) in a little bit of warm milk for 15 minutes and then pour it into the boiling milk. Also put in some slivered almonds and unsalted pistachios into the milk.

Step 11: Take the paneer discs out of the chashni (after they have soaked in it for at least an hour or more) and glide them into the boiling milk. Switch off the gas and gently stir the milk with the discs.

Step 12: Allow this to cool completely, put in four drops of kewra essence and then refrigerate, ideally overnight or for seven-eight hours, before serving it chilled to your family and guests.