Kesar Pantua/Saffron rasgulla
For paneer-
1 ltr. Cow milk (3% makes best)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Cheesecloth/ old kitchen towel
1 tbsp fine semolina/ rava
For syrup-
300 gms sugar
4 cups water
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp rosewater
1 pinch saffron strands
1 pinch of love
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Boil the milk, add lemon juice to it as it foams
Keep stirring and add a couple tsp of water, it helps to split the milk faster.
Turn the heat off as soon as the solids separate
Strain it into a cheesecloth or an old kitchen towel. Tie it into a tight bundle and hang to drain. Squeeze it once when cooled to remove excess water. Drain for 20-30 mins.
Open the bundle, crumble it with fingers, breaking all lumps.
Add the fine semolina
Mix well and cover it with a plate and set aside for 10 minutes
Simultaneously prepare the syrup-
Add 4 cups of water to the sugar and boil on medium low heat.
Once it comes to a boil, add the 1 tbsp milk, to clean the sugar syrup,
Skim off the top if any muddly foam comes up.
Add the rosewater
To prepare the milk solids-
Knead the Chhenaa/ milk solids with the heel of your palm, folding in and out
Alternating with pressing it in with your knuckles,
Until it is super soft and no crumbs fall out of the milk ball.
Break it into small pieces and form them into tiny balls with your palms
Bring the sugar syrup to a boil and start gently putting these milk balls into the syrup, cover the pot and let it boil for 20-25 mins
Make sure the pot is wide enough for the rasgulla to roll around without breaking.
You can also use a pressure cooker, without the whistle
Keep a large bowl of cold water ready.
Gently transfer the rasgulla to cold water
Add a 1/2 cup water to the existent syrup, bring it to a boil and turn the heat off.
Add saffron strands to this syrup and let it cool.
Drain the cold water out of the bowl and add the rasgullas to the syrup,
Cool it and refrigerate
Serve cold
Tag: Paneer
PAALAK PANEER
An all time favorite veg dish.
8-10 cubes of paneer fried lightly
4 cups of Paalak/ spinach
7-8 cloves Garlic
1″ piece of fresh ginger root
( make a paste of ginger n garlic or grate it)
1 medium onion ( yellow)
1-2 medium tomatoes ( Roma)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
2 tsp coriander seeds powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 black pepper corns cracked
Salt to taste.
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Blanch spinach till the midriff becomes soft
Dice it fine and let it cool
Fine dice onion and tomatoes.
Make a paste of ginger garlic or grate it on a braiser
Make 1″x 1″ cubes of Paneer and fry it light golden. Set aside one cube of plain paneer, un-fried.
Heat oil in a shallow pan
Add cumin seeds and cracked pepper. Let it bloom
Add ginger garlic paste flash fry
Follow by quickly adding all the dry ingredients- turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
Quickly add the fine diced onion and tomatoes and fry till the onions look glazed.
Add diced blanched spinach and stir well till all is uniformly blended.
Cook for 3-5 mins on low heat
Add salt to taste. Be easy on the salt as spinach has its own saltiness.
Add the fried paneer cubes and stir.
Turn the heat off.
Transfer to a serving dish and grate the un-fried cube of paneer on top for garnish
Serve with roti or rice.
Makes enough for 3-4 people