Rasmalai

Soft and fluffy Paneer dumplings in sweet milk

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian, Mauritian

Servings 15 balls

Calories 101 kcal

To make the Paneer cheese dumplings, pour the milk into a large pot and heat it over medium heat.
1 L milk
When the milk starts to boil, add lemon juice and stir gently until the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey.
3 tbsp lemon juice
Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curdled milk through the cheesecloth to separate the curds from the whey.
Rinse the curds under cold water to remove the lemon juice flavour and squeeze out any excess water.
Place the Paneer cheese in a bowl and add all-purpose flour. Knead the mixture for a few minutes until smooth and free of lumps.
2 tbsp plain flour
Divide the mixture into small portions and shape them into small flat discs. You should get about 12-15 cheese dumplings.

In a separate pot, heat the whole milk for the milk mixture until it comes to a boil.
1 L milk
Lower the heat and add sugar, saffron strands, and ground cardamon. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
1 cup caster sugar, 3-4 strands saffron, 1/4 tsp cardamon
Carefully add the cheese dumplings to the simmering milk mixture and let them cook for 15-20 minutes or until they are fully cooked. See my recipe notes for a few ways to check if the Rasmalai is cooked.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the Rasmalai enough time to absorb the flavours of the milk before serving.

You can tell when Rasmalai is fully cooked with a few clues:
- The Rasmalai cheese dumpling should feel spongy and soft, not hard
- The dumplings should float to the top of the milk mixture once cooked
- The Rasmalai dumplings should have expanded in size
The milk mixture should be simmering gently when you are cooking the Rasmalai and not boiling rapidly.
If the milk mixture is too thin, you can simmer it for a longer time to thicken it. If it is too thick, you can add a little more milk to adjust the consistency.
You can garnish Rasmalai with chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, or cashews to add some crunch and flavour.
If you want to make the dish lighter, you can use low-fat milk or almond milk instead of whole milk. However, the taste and texture of the dish may vary.

Keyword Gato Dou