Tri Color Rasgulla | Homemade Paneer

My 53rd recipe "Tri Color Rasgulla", in tribute to my nation celebrating her 66th Republic Day. On this day, 65 years ago, India completed its transition into an independent republic and adopted the Constitution of India replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.

It did not take me long to figure out what dish to prepare on this special day. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to prepare a dish honoring the Tri Color Flag of India. Immediately, I got the idea to prepare my favorite sweet, Rasgulla in three colors.

Is there any other sweet which is as delicious as this wonderful Bengali creation. Perfectly soft, spongy and with the delicious sugar syrup dripping from it, I can happily gobble up several hundred of them in a day 😀

Tri Color Rasgulla

Tri Color Rasgulla

Revathi Palani

Paneer is an Indian Cottage cheese. Learn how to make paneer easily at home and then convert it into the mouthwatering Bengali Sweet, Rasgulla.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Servings 25

Ingredients

  

• 4 Cups Milk
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Extract
• 3 Cups Sugar
• 9 Cups Water
• ¼ tsp Rose Essence
• ¼ tsp Cardomom Powder

Instructions

 

• First add the milk in a clean vessel and bring it to boil. Do stir in between to avoid burnt bottom. Mix 2 Tbsp water to the lemon extract and keep it aside.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras1.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras2.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Once the milk starts to boil, turn off the flame. Start adding the lemon extract to the milk, little by little at regular intervals and keep stirring. The milk will start curdling. Let the curdled milk rest for 5 minutes.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras4.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras5.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" /><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras6.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras7.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Now take a clean muslin/cotton cloth and place it in a strainer. Pour the curdled milk into the cloth. The water (Whey) will get drained and the milk solids would remain in the cloth.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras3.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras8.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" /><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras9.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras10.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Now run the milk solids under cold water, to remove the sourness of the lemon. Now gather the sides of the cloth and squeeze the milk solids to remove excess water. Set this packet over the strainer or just hang this cloth for 30 mins, so that the excess water gets drained off. The resulting product from this step is paneer / Indian cottage cheese and used in various Indian cuisines. Optionally, when making paneer, use a heavy weight on top of the packet, to firm it up and make it hold its shape. We do not need to use the weight here while making rasgulla.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras11.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras12.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" /><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras13.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras14.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Now, remove the paneer from the cloth and start kneading it using your palms for 10 minutes. Knead until you end up with a smooth soft ball. Divide into 3 equal portions. Add green and orange food color to 2 of the portions. Knead them until the color mixes evenly. Leave the 3rd as it is.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras15.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras17.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" /><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras22.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras23.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Make small sized balls from the dough by rolling them between your palms. It is important to make smooth and perfect round shape or else they might break when soaking. Keep them aside.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras20.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras21.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Now prepare the sugar syrup by adding water and sugar, stir them until the sugar dissolves. Add the cardamom powder and rose essence to the sugar syrup and once it starts boiling, add the prepared balls into the boiling syrup. Turn the flame to medium and let the rasgullas get cooked for about 15- 20 minutes. Cook covered and check at regular intervals. Rasgullas will puff up and double in size.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras18.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras19.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" /><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras25.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />&nbsp;<img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ras26.jpg" alt="rasgulla" width="47%" />
• Turn off the flame let them cool down and come to room temperature. Then refrigerate and Serve chilled.
  <br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/rasgulla-1.jpg" alt="tri color rasgulla" width="100%"/><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/rasgulla-2-.jpg" alt="tri color rasgulla" width="100%"/><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/rasgulla-3.jpg" alt="tri color rasgulla" width="100%"/><br><br><img src="//revi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/rasgulla-4.jpg" alt="tri color rasgulla" width="100%"/>
  

Notes | FAQ

- You can use vinegar / citric acid instead of lemon juice for curdling.

- If you are in a hurry, you can use pressure cooker for cooking rasgullas. Prepare the sugar syrup in the cooker pan, add the rasgulla balls and cook for one whistle.

- Adjust the rasgulla ball size according to your desire. Rasgullas after cooking will double its actual size. Keeping that in mind roll the dough balls. Traditionally they would be about 1 inch in diameter.

- Optionally, you can garnish with finely chopped nuts like pista.

- I cooked the white and color rasagullas in separate sugar syrups, so that the color doesn't bleed.

- Always use full fat milk when preparing desserts. 2% milk will not give best results.

- Kneading is very important to get soft and fluffy rasgullas. Minimum 10 mins kneading is mandatory.