Ras malai

Origin and etymology

It is believed to have originated somewhere in Eastern India, presumably in the Bengal region. The K.C. Das Grandsons confectioners claims that it was invented by K.C. Das, but this claim is said to be "impossible to verify".

According to The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink published by Oxford University Press "The term comes from Hindi raś 'juice', and malai 'cream'.

Ingredients

Ras malai consists of flattened balls of chhana soaked in malai (clotted cream) flavoured with cardamom. Milk is boiled and a bit of vinegar or lime juice is added to split it. The whey is discarded and the milk solids are drained, cooled and kneaded into a dough. The dough is divided into small balls and the balls are cooked in hot water with a bit of rose water added. The balls are then cooked in milk with saffron, pistachios and kheer as stuffing.

Variations

Different types of rasmalai can be found in different areas. In Dhaka and Rangpur, the rasmalais are similar in shape to the rasgullas.