Ras Malai Recipe...

Ingredients:

1/2 litre Milk

1 tsp all purpose flour (maida)
1 tsp cornflour

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

1/4 tsp saffron or essence

Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp

For Ras:

1 litre Milk

6 tbsp Sugar

Sliced Almonds and Pistachios to garnish

Saffron

1/4 tsp saffron or essence

Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Heat half litre milk in a pan and bring it to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Add lemon juice.
3. Stir slowly and gently until white curd forms on the surface and separates from whey.
4. When the milk curdles (paneer), strain the paneer in a muslin cloth.Pour a little cold water over the paneer and hang the cheese cloth on the tap for approx 30 minutes to remove all of the liquid.
5.  If u have access to simple cottage cheese, you can skip steps 1 - 5 and start from step 6 directly.
6. Knead paneer with palm of your hand on a flat surface to make a smooth dough. Add cornflour and maida and knead again.
7.  Make small balls of equal size of the dough and gently press them to flatten them and keep aside.
8. Next make sugar syrup. Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to boil.
9. Add paneer balls to the syrup and cook for 15 minutes with lid partially covered.
10. Keep the cheese dumplings aside.
11. Boil milk in a heavy base saucepan.
12. Bring one boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook until it becomes thick and creamy. Stir occasionally to prevent its sticking to the bottom of the pan.
13. Add sugar and cook for 5 minutes.
14. Add saffron essence, cardamom and half chopped pistachios.
15. Let the ras cool. On cooling, add the paneer dumplings (squeeze the syrup).
16. Garnish with the Sliced Almonds and Pistachios and saffron.
17. Refrigerate and serve chilled.