Ras Malai

Now since I made rasgullas, I kept some of them away to make ras malai which is my favourite dessert. Ras Malai is made out of 
Chenna Balls and thickened milk. I made the thickened milk the traditional way of reducing milk. You can also buy ready made rasgulla's, purchase ready made paneer and make the ras malai pattice or you refer to my homemade Rasgulla recipe.

PREP TIME	COOK TIME	TOTAL TIME
5 mins	45 - 50 mins	50-55mins

Serves:-  5-6
INGREDIENTS:-

• Rasgullas - 20 store bought or Homemade rasgullas 
• Whole fat milk - 1.5 ltrs
• Khoya/ Mawa or cream - 1/2 Cup (optional)
• Sugar - 1 cup or as required
• Almonds - 10-12 blanched chopped or sliced
• Pistachios - 10-12 blanched and chopped or sliced
• Water - 1/2 cup for blanching almonds and pistachios
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Saffron strands - 2-3 pinches and for garnishing.

METHOD:- 

• First Squeeze the extra syrup from the rasgulla and place them in a bowl and keep aside.
  
• In another bowl take some boiled water and put the almonds and pistachios for half an hour. After that peel the almonds and slice both almonds and pistachios.
• Now take the milk in a deep pan and bring it to boil, keep stirring while you boil it. Continue boiling.
  
• While the milk is about to boil, take 1/4th cup milk from the pan in a small bowl. let this milk become warm and then add 1 or 2 pinches saffron strands. Stir and keep aside. you can also crush the saffron strands and then add.
  
• Keep boiling the milk on medium flame till the milk thickens. Simultaneously keep bringing the cream settling on the sides of the pan to the milk.
• This process of reducing milk will take about 25-30 minutes.
• Once the milk has reduced to half of its original volume add sugar little by little. Check if more is required and add further. Stir it well till the sugar dissolves in the milk.
• Then add the cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios and stir well.
• Simmer the milk for some more time. Do not get thicken the milk to rabri consistency as the rasgullas need to soak this sweetened milk.
• Once you reach the desired consistency add the cream or mawa/khoya to it and stir well till it mixes well in the milk.
• Now put the rasgullas one by one into the milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
  
• Switch off the flame and let it cool. Then refrigerate it for 2-3 hrs and serve it chilled!!!