MargaretsHome.com turns TWO
Let’s celebrate with Rasmalai

Rasmalai8newI cannot believe I’ve been blogging for two years! That’s 104 posts. My sincere thanks to each one of you who has visited my blog during these past two year. MargaretsHome.com had 38,883 views and 528 comments. Your feedback is important to me. When you call to ask a question or when you tell me that you’ve tried my recipe and it worked out well for you, it makes my day! MargaretsHome.com would not be the same without you. Please continue to visit and I hope I can inspire you to cook some incredible dishes at home. I’m celebrating this milestone with one of my favorite desserts – Rasmalai.

Rasmalai is sometimes spelled Ras Malai. Ras means juice and malai means cream. Wikipedia describes rasmalai as a rich cheesecake without a crust. The recipe that I’m sharing with you is less complicated than the version used by authentic sweetmeat shops in India. In my version, the soft, spongy, cardamom-flavored balls are made with milk powder. Sugar and whole cardamoms are added to whole milk. Then it is boiled and simmered until it becomes thick and rich. The rasmalai balls are then cooked in it until they double in size. Rasmalai is served with some of the sweet, creamy milk sauce and garnished with pistachios.

Rasmalai can been made out of paneer (Indian cheese), ricotta cheese, or powdered milk. I’ve experimented with all three ingredients several times and feel that this recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Adjust the amount of sugar that is added to the milk according to your taste. I’ve tried to give you detailed directions so that the rasmalai will turn out perfectly when you make them for the first time. Follow the instructions carefully and you will have success.

I will be taking a short break from blogging as I am going on vacation. I’m sure my travels will yield even more exciting food experiences and recipes to share with you.

Rasmalai
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 5

Ingredients:
6 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar, (depending on your taste)
5 whole cardamoms
1 cup Nestle’s Nido full cream milk powder
½ teaspoon all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder, (optional)
2 teaspoons melted ghee
1 egg, (at room temperature)

Directions:
Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed, wide, stainless steal pan. Add sugar and whole cardamoms. I cracked open the pods a bit, but you can leave them whole. Bring the milk to a boil over high heat and then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid the milk sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Sift the milk powder, flour, baking powder, and cardamom powder into a large mixing bowl. If you don’t like the cardamom specks in the rasmalai, skip adding it. But it adds a wonderful flavor to the rasmalai. Add ghee and rub it into the milk powder mixture with your fingertips. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Add one tablespoon at a time into the milk powder mixture and mix with your fingertips to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Don’t knead, just bring the whole mixture together into a ball. I used about three and a half tablespoons of egg. Cover with a towel and let it rest for two minutes. If the mixture feels dry add a teaspoon of egg. Add one teaspoon at a time. Take small pieces of the dough and make them into small marble sized balls. Flatten them just a little and put them on a plate.

Bring the milk to a boil again and then immediately turn the heat to low and allow the milk to simmer. Add all the rasmalais into the milk. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and let the rasmalai cook for five minutes. Remove the lid after five minutes and gently turn each rasmalai over. Cover and let them cook for another 10 minutes. Take one rasmalai out and check if it is done. Place the rasmalai in a bowl and cut it in half. See if the rasmalai is cooked and looks spongy inside. If not, you need to cook them for another five minutes. When they are done, turn off the heat and leave the rasmalai covered for ten minutes at least. Then gently transfer them into a serving bowl. Let them cool and then chill them overnight in the refrigerator. Garnish with slivered pistachio and serve.

6 thoughts on “MargaretsHome.com turns TWO
Let’s celebrate with Rasmalai

  1. Congratulations to my deaer friend! It also means that it’s been more than 2 years since we have seen each other, and 2 years since you have retired from the Bank. Miss you! Hope all is well. Let us know when you come into the city so we can plan to have lunch. Wishing you many more years blogging!

    • My sweet Rosan – It’s wonderful to hear from you. You reminded me that I’ve been retired for two years and I haven’t seen you for two years. Okay, I’ve got to come and visit you and Consuelo. I’m going to India but when I get back I will call to set up a lunch date. Thank you for stopping by to visit when you have a moment. So good to hear from you. I’ve missed you too. All is well with me and I hope it is the same with you. Love you, dear.

      Margaret

  2. Hi Maggie

    Congratulations! Can’t believe it’s been two years. Don’t know how you find recipes to put on your blog each week. Keep them coming since we look forward to your recipes. Guess we have to wait while you are on vacation. Have a safe trip!

    Usha

    • My dearest Usha girl,

      Thank you for all the support you give me on my blog. Nobody knows, but me, that you scan through the content of each of my posts with a keen eye to see if I’ve made any mistakes and you always alert me. I appreciate that and for all the encouragement and test kitchen runs that you do on my recipes – thank you with all my heart. You’ve been a great cheer leader from the start and I love you for that. You are a true friend.

      Love you,
      Maggie

  3. Hi Maggie,
    For the Rasmalai,does it have to be Nido milk powder? Do you think it will turn out alright with any whole milk powder? Pls let me know. I’d like to try it with the milk powder I have. But if it flops with a different brand, I would get Nido. Thank you for sharing your talents. Mary

    • Dear Mary,

      You can use any whole milk powder. I made it with Nido and it turned out well. I am sure yours will too. Read the recipe carefully and then get all the ingredients together before you start making it. I took time to give details because I wanted it to turn out well for everyone! If you feel the rasmalai balls have not doubled in size after cooking them, cook it for a little longer. Wishing you success.

      Lots of love,
      Maggie

Leave a Reply to Margaret Christo Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>