Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Rasmalai

Delicate chhena patties in saffron-yellow reduced milk with cardamom and pistachios, served ice-cold.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 2 litres whole milk
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 150g sugar
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 4 cardamom pods
• 40g pistachios
• 20g almonds

Instructions

1. Bring 1 litre of milk to the boil, remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice a spoonful at a time until the whey separates clear and greenish.
2. Pour the curdled mixture through a muslin cloth, rinse with cold water, squeeze out well, and knead the chhena with the heel of your hand for 8–10 minutes into a completely smooth, pliable dough.
3. Shape the dough into 12 balls, flatten slightly, and boil at a rolling simmer in 100g of the sugar with 700ml water, covered, for 15 minutes — the patties will double in size.
4. For the rabri, simmer the remaining milk with saffron and the cardamom seeds over medium heat for 30–35 minutes, stirring, until reduced by about half.
5. Dissolve the remaining sugar in the hot milk, gently squeeze out the patties, add them, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours so they soak up the milk.
6. Serve ice-cold in shallow bowls scattered with shaved pistachios and almonds.