Sharing is caring!
Rasgulla or Rasagolas are soft, fluffy sweet balls made with fresh chenna or paneer. The chenna is crushed to make soft balls and then boiled in sugar syrup until they are light and fluffy. Soaked in the same syrup for some time, and you get the best soft and fluffy Bengali rasgulla.
Bengali rasgullas are one of the most common sweets in eastern India. There are many chenna or paneer-based dishes from this part of India. Me and my family love these rasgullas as they are easy to make and the best part is that they are not fried. You can even squeeze some of the sugar syrup to make it eat with less guilt.
Fresh chenna or Paneer, the difference The process of making a
chenna or paneer
is the same. That is, milk is boiled, then curdled with an acidic ingredient. I have already detailed the recipe on how to make fresh paneer at home, with step-by-step instructions. So Chenna has a little more water content and is usually in shredded form.
Paneer is a form given to chenna. That is, it is made in blocks so that it can be used in different paneer dishes, whether savory or sweet. A very versatile ingredient and can be used in the main course as in this Methi Matar Paneer, Santa Thongba (Manipuri Curry), or in this Palak Paneer. You can make delicious starters using paneer as in this, barbecue recipe Paneer Tikka or this walnut spinach, paneer and potato balls.
It is better to use cow’s milk instead of buffalo milk to make chenna for scraping. For people staying outside India, use milk that has reduced fat. I use the whole milk available here, but that’s like 3-4% fat, so ideally it’s reduced fat.
The manufacture
of these Bengali rasgullas
is not complicated at all. If some things are taken care of. Each recipe has some tips and tricks and if one follows them correctly, you will achieve the best every time.
I
remember making these Rasgullas as a child and using the open pan method. But for the last few years, I’m making this Rasgulla in the kitchen. I love the cooking method more than the open pan method as it is quick and easy to make. Another thing I found is that the cooking method always gives the best fluffy rasgullas.
People worry that in a pressure cooker it can spread or break. But as said if the method is followed correctly, scratching in a kitchen is a fail-safe recipe. I’ve been doing it in the kitchen for over 7-8 years and it always works for me.
Rasgulla in an open pot Many prefer
to make rasgulla in open pot instead
of a kitchen. The process is almost similar to that of the kitchen, except that the lid is not completely closed here. Soft chenna balls are added in hot boiling water and boiled for 20 minutes until soft. Then it is allowed to cool so that the syrup is well absorbed by the rasgulla.
So what makes Rasgulla fluffy?
Always use fresh chenna to make rasgullas. Yes, you can scrape it with spoiled milk or milk that is also curdling. It is advisable to use chenna within an hour after it is done so that there is still some moisture. However, we don’t want it to have too much water as well. So when I do this, I follow the same process as I do for Paneer. However, I use this chenna to make scrapes in an hour.
What makes the scrape hard?
The next trick is not to add too much sugar in the water used for boiling. If one adds a lot of water, the scrapes will not be fluffy and could become a bit hard. So I only add about 1/4 or less of the total sugar needed. Once they are cooked, I remove it I add the remaining sugar and then mix everything. See the recipe for detailed steps.
I also like to add cardamom seeds between each of the balls. This creates a cavity and makes the scrapes smooth. It also adds a pleasant flavor to the rasgulla.
Why the rasgulla becomes flat If you add too little water while making
the rasgulla
, they will be flat. In addition, they need space to expand. If you clutter your pot, they won’t be able to expand and therefore flatten. So keep that in mind when scraping.
Rasgulla Flavoring
There are many ways to aromatize rasgulla. I like it simple or with a little saffron. So while I make the rasgulla I add a pinch of saffron to the sugar syrup. Saffron will also add a nice yellow tint to the rasgulla. However, if you want plain white, don’t add saffron.
Service Tips
I love enjoying this cold rasgulla. Rasgullas are best enjoyed when they are cold and not hot.
Rasmalai
If we go a step further, and soak the rasgulla in sweetened reduced milk we end up in another delicious dessert called Rasmalai. A classic Indian dessert, soaked in sweet milk and flavored typically cardamom and saffron.
So here goes the recipe for Homemade Soft Spongy Bengali Rasgulla
Update
I added this post in July 2014, today me and updating the content, and added new photos. (Process shot video coming soon) and share with
I love reading your comments and opinions. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments section. I will try to answer as soon as I can.
If you tried this recipe, comment below and don’t forget to rate the recipe.
Also, I’d love to see your creations, take a photo, and tag myself on @cookwithrenu using the hashtag #Cookwithrenu on Facebook, Twitter, and @cookwithrenu_ad on Instagram.
Subscribe to my email list to receive new recipes directly in your mailbox.
Disclaimer and Privacy Policy
Sharing is loving!
