Ras Malai (Rose Flavoured)

Ras Malai, one of my favorite dessert, is made from paneer also known as Indian cottage cheese soaked in sugar syrup and served with milk flavoured with cardamon and saffron. Ras Malai is a kind of Bengali sweet, originated in the eastern part of India,mainly Bengal. Traditionally Ras Malai is prepared using cow's milk and flavoured with cardamon and saffron, In my recipe I have used Rose water for flavouring and red food color for giving them light pink color. These sweet dumplings are going to FIC Pink/Rose event hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes , you can find the details of the event here and to Harini of Tongue Ticklers, event details here.The below recipe yields about 24 Ras Malai of medium size.

Ingredients for Paneer dumplings :

2 litre full cream milk (I used 3.5% fat)

2 tbsp lime juice diluted in little water

Ingredients for Sugar syrup :

1 1/2 cups of sugar

4 cups of water

1 tsp cardamon seeds

2 - 3 tsp Rose Water or Rose essence

4 - 5 drops of red food color

Ingredients for Milk :

1 litre milk

1/2 cup sugar or according to your taste

1 tsp mixed dry fruits or masala milk powder

1 tsp rose essence or rose water for flavouring

3 - 4 red food color

Procedure :

• Heat the milk for paneer in a non stick vessel. When it starts boiling, add lime water slowly and reduce the heat. Add lime water until the water and paneer are separated.
• Immediately remove the paneer from heat and strain the paneer in muslin cloth or a strainer.
• Put some cold water on the paneer, this will help to make the paneer soft.
• Knead the paneer properly and make small dumplings as shown below in the image. I have prepared them in oval shape, you can give any other shape of your choice.

• To make the sugar syrup, heat sugar, water, cardamon seeds and rose water together on high flame. When it starts boiling add 3 - 4 drops of red food color.  Now add the paneer dumplings few at a time. Make sure you have enough space for the dumplings to expand.
• Cover the vessel and let it cook for around 7 to 10 mins on high heat.
• The paneer dumplings will gain volume and increase double in size and will have soft pink color. Immediately remove the paneer balls and keep it aside disolved in little sugar syrup.

• If you require dark color, you can add some more food color to the syrup.
• Similary, follow the procedure for rest of the paneer dumplings.
• In a seperate pan, heat the milk along with sugar, rose essence or rose water and masala milk powder, boil it till it reduces in quantity and becomes little thick. Reduce the heat and add red food color and gently add the paneer dumplings which we had made earlier one at a time. Simmer on slow heat for 5 mins.

• Serve chilled, garnished with dry fruits