Roshogolla

Good Roshogollas are made with a good base – a soft and pliable dough of cottage cheese. I would recommend you to make your own chhena or cottage cheese at home since working with a fresh batch produces the best results.

Often, while making chhena at home, two things tend to happen – the first one is getting impatient and adding too much acid(vinegar or lemon juice) all at once. The second problem is overcooking or overheating the milk and the curd. Both of these problems lead to producing a rubbery cottage cheese dough. I speak from repeated experiences.

I will specify each step clearly so that you do not face difficulty while making the recipe.

1. Start by heating 1 litre full cream milk on medium heat until you see bubbles form on the surface. It should take around 7 minutes if the milk was refrigerated.
2. Add 2 tsp vinegar into milk. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and stir gently for 3 minutes. Add 2 tsp of vinegar again and stir gently for 2 minutes. Repeat this process by adding 1-2 tsp vinegar and stirring 1 more time, until the milk curdles completely
3. Switch off the heat and add a final 1 tsp vinegar if the milk has not curdled properly. [Tip : A good indication that the milk has completely curdled, is that the whiteness of the milk will change to slightly translucent greenish colour]
4. Once the milk has curdled, drain the whole mixture in the sieve layered with muslin cloth.
5. Wash the Cottage cheese with room temperature water, to get rid of the vinegar smell if any, and also to bring down the dough internal temp.
6. Wrap the muslin well and gently squeeze out excess water. Set it aside for 30mins-1 hour to drain more water by placing something heavy on top of the cottage cheese
7. Meanwhile, prepare the main syrup : 2 cups white sugar along with 700ml water. Boil for 8 minutes. We don’t want this syrup to be too thick. 
8. Start working on the dough : Take out the dough from the muslin cloth, mash it with the help of the heel of your palm. Do it 3 times to the entire dough. It should take around 3-4 minutes. A good indication that the cottage cheese dough has been properly kneaded, is that it will not stick to the surface and your hand will be mildly oily.
9. Add 1/2 tsp fine cardamom powder and 1 tsp flour(optional).
10. Knead it Once more. And then divide the dough balls into equal pieces. Do not make them too big because they will grow twice as large in the sugar syrup
11. In a pot, add 1 cup sugar and 1 litre water. add 4 cardamom pods. Let it come to a boil on high heat.
12. Once boiling, add the dough balls into the centre, one by one. Stir twice gently and cover the pot with a lid. Let the diluted syrup boil for 10 more minutes. 
13. Transfer the hot Roshogollas into the first concentrated syrup. Let it rest in the syrup for at least 6-8 hours.
14. Serve and enjoy. 

All my love,

Feashts