RASMALAI...A SWEET

Rasmalai is a rich Bengali Dessert.The word Rasmalai in hindi language means juice and cream.Ras means juice and Malai means cream.As the name suggests this sweet will give you a feeling of having sweet cream along with delicious juice.This can be served cold to taste more good.For preparation first we have to make Rasgullas,Then make rich sauce out of milk.Use saffron and other dry fruits to garnish.Let us now see the preparation....

                                                     INGREDIENTS

For making Rasgullas

• Milk                     -  1 litre
• Vinegar                -   2 tbsp

For Sugar syrup

• Water                   -  1/2 litre
• Sugar                   -  3/4 cup
• Rose essence        -   2 drops

For Making Rasmalai sauce(Rabri)

• Milk                         -  1/2 litre
• Sugar                       -   3/4 cup
• Yellow colour          -  a pinch(If we are using saffron don't use color)
• Cardamom powder  - a pinch
• Cashews                   - 3 tbsp crushed
• Badam                      - 10 nos
• Rose essence            -  2 drops
• Saffron                     - 2 pinch ( I didn't used , because of unavailability of the product)

                                                                     METHOD

                                       

   

• Boil the milk.When it starts boiling add vinegar to it and stir continuously till the paneer separates.

• Remove this to a muslin cloth and place this in a wire rack and keep a weight over it.

• Thus we will get the paneer to make the rasgullas.

•  The second step is to prepare the rabri.Boil the half litre of milk with sugar, crushed badam and cashews. When it starts to thicken add the cardamom powder and color to it.Add rose essence too and bring it to cool.

•  Knead the paneer with a pinch of yellow colour and a pinch of cardamom.

• Blend this in a chopper. It will become more soft.

• Make balls out of it.

• Make sugar syrup by boiling water and sugar.'

• When it starts boiling add the balls to it and steam this in a pressure cooker for about 5 mins.

• When the pressure comes down , open the cooker and keep this to  cool for 3-4 hrs.

• Take out the balls and squeeze them to remove the sugar syrup.

• Place these balls in a glass tray.

• Pour the rabri syrup over it.

• Garnish with grated badam and nuts and sprinkle 2 drops of  rose essence.

              Today's tasty Rasmalai is ready to eat..Enjoy!!!!!

TOMATO-BEETROOT HALWA

                           TOMATO-BEETROOT HALWA

Tomato-beetroot halwa is an Indian dessert.Thirunelveli Halwa, Bombay Halwa,etc are famous halwas of all .I made a combination of ingredients for preparing this halwa.I wanted to prepare a red color halwa without adding any sort of colors to it.So I planned to add one beetroot to this just to get the color which I wished for.Now let us see how I have prepared the Halwa.

                 INGREDIENTS

• Tomato          - 500gms
• Beetroot        - 1 small chopped
• Sugar           - 400 gms
• Water           - 2 cups
• Cardamom        - 8 powdered
• Ghee            - 150 gms
• Cashews chopped - 1/4 cup, fried
• Lemon juice     - of 1 lemon

   For making maida milk

• Maida           - 200gms
• Water           - as required
• Salt a pinch

First step: Add water and salt to maida and make a dough.Place this dough in a vessel and pour water over that in such a way that water should be above the dough.Keep this for 1 hr. 

Second step:After one hour knead this with the same water.Then we will get a thick milk from that.Strain and remove this milk to another vessel.Add again water to the dough and knead again.Again we get the thick milk.Do this process till the dough becomes a rubber form.

Third step:Keep this milk aside for 4-5 hrs.After 5 hrs strain out the water from top and use the milk by adding 1 cup of water.

                                                                                                        

                                                                            

• Boil the tomatoes in water for 5 mins.When the skin  gets crack remove the tomato from water and allow it to cool.

                                         

       

•  Chop the beetroot and keep aside.

•  When the tomatoes cool remove the skin and blend them on a blender.

•  Strain this by a strainer.

•  Keep this also aside.

•  Heat a heavy bottom pan.

•  Add sugar and 2 cups of water and bring to boil.

•  When it starts boiling add 2tb of milk to it.This is done in order to clean the sugar and remove the dirt.

•  You can see the dirt appearing on the sides.

•  Now remove the dirt with a spoon.Now the sugar syrup is clear to use.

•  Now it's time to add the maida milk to it.Stir well the milk and pour it to the boiling sugar syrup.

•  Add the pulp too. Stir continuously in very low flame.

•  When it starts  to thicken add lemon juice to it.Mix well.

•  When it starts sticking on the pan add little ghee to it .Add the measured amount of ghee by 4 or 5 times.

•  In between grease a tray and keep aside.

•  When it becomes thick, wait till the ghee leaves the sides.

•  When ghee leaves the sides, add fried cashews  to it.

•  Add cardamom powder too mix all together.

• Here you can see the ghee coming out from the sides.This is the symbol to find that it is ready to take out.

•  Remove it to the greased tray.

•  With the help of a plate or glass press and level it .

The soft Tomato Beetroot Halwa is ready to serve!!!