Considered to be the entry point for markets in Southeast Asia, home to globally acclaimed Darjeeling tea variety, West Bengal also offers a wide variety of milk and cream based sweets.

Today, we are going to look into one of those that is on top of its game. It's considered to be as light as cloud and heaven to every dairy lover. Just call it “Rasmalai”.

Though there are no verifiable claims to where this dessert actually was invented, but definitely it shows up its roots in Bangladesh and West Bengal.

K. C. Das Grandsons in Kolkata, were the first in India to prepare and sell Rasmalai.

Enough to look for claims of its origin, Let's make some and indulge.

Recipe - Rasmalai

Ingredients - Milk (2 Liters), Sugar (0.5 Kilograms), Corn flour (1 table spoon), Mixed dry fruits (50 grams), Cardamom (5-6 pcs), Saffron (8-10 strands), Lemon juice/Vinegar (2 table spoons), Ghee (1 table spoon), Muslin cloth.

Procedure

• Step - 1 Boil 1 Liter of milk in a low flame. One the milk comes to boil add 2 table spoons of Lemon juice/Vinegar and let the milk curdle. Later strain using muslin cloth to separate milk solids from water. After that use running cold water to rinse the milk solids through the muslin cloth (this helps to remove any sourness left behind by curdling agent). Later, knot it air tight and let it stay tied under the sink tap for an hour to let go of the wetness.
• Step - 2 Boil 1 more Liter of heavy cream milk. Once its starts to thicken up add half cup of sugar, cardamom powder and saffron. Keep it on a medium flame and stir frequently until its close to a consistency of Rabdi.
• Step - 3 Now remove the Chena (milk solids) from muslin cloth and start kneading it with 1 table spoon of corn flour for about 20 mins or until its gets moldable texture. Made medium sized pedas/idlis and keep them aside.
• Step - 4 Take 1 liter of water with 2 cups of sugar and bring it to a boil. Now add the pedas and let it cook for 3 minutes with lid-on on high flame, 8 mins on open-lid high flame and 10 mins on medium flame. After the procedure, let it cool.

Garnish - Fry the dry fruits in a table spoon of ghee.

Arrangement - Take a spreadable container, press and remove all the sugar syrup from the cooked pedas and arrange them. Warm the rabdi and pour on top if them. Garnish with fried dry fruits. 

Let it rest in the fridge from 5-6 hours.

Here you go! Its ready to dig in!!

Lastly, as this is my loved ones favorite dessert, I dedicate this blog to him.