Rasgulla

Rossogolla, the classic and historical Bengali sweet is also famous in the other parts of India as well as in some neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is almost a custom in Bengal to serve Rossogolla as welcome refreshment as well as a dessert in any festival or domestic occasion to their eminent guest and relatives. This white yummy sweet ball is called Rosogolla, Roshogolla, Rasogolla or rossogolla in Bengal and Rosgulla or Rasgulla in the other parts of India.
If you talk about rossogolla, the legendary name of Sri Nobin Chandra Das of Kolkata will immediately come to your mind. He is the inventor of Rossogolla and respectfully remembered as the Father of Rossogolla. In the year 1868 Nobin Chandra succeeded in making this legendary sweet which is now called the ‘National sweet of India’. His ancestors were sugar merchants of Kolkata having considerable social standing. Hailing originally from the district of Burdwan, the Das family had made Kolkata their home for eight generations by now. Their house was on the bank of holy river Ganges in Sutanotty (now Bagbazar, Kolkata).
But the journey from a tiny confectioner of Kolkata to the legendary ‘Father of Rossogolla’ was not that easy at that time. He didn’t have that much of recourses for marketing the product. Nobin had no other alternative but to leave everything on his fortune. At last one fine morning, a magnificent cart came to his shop. Raibahadur Bhagwandas Bagla, a wealthy timber merchant of Kolkata was in the carriage with his family. A child came out of the cart and asked for a glass of water. Nobin Chandra offered his usual hospitality. The child was offered “Rossogolla” along with a glass of water. The child was so delighted that he shared it with his father. The father was equally thrilled, and immediately bought a large quantity for his family and friends.
Nobin Chandra and his “Rossogolla” became famous in no time.
Contrary to the advice of his friends and admirers to take out patents, this great man taught the intricacies of Rossogolla-making to numerous sweetmeat makers. He believed that his creation could only gain popularity if available in all sweet shops across the country.
Many of the eminent Bengali personality were fond of Nobin Chandra’s Rossogolla including Rabindranath tagore, Swami Ramkrishna, Swami Vivekanandaand many more.

Well not only them all bongs including me are fond of sweets and Rasgulla is undoubtedly in my favorite list. The first time I tried rasgulla at home was a disaster. I was not satisfied at all.Well! I didn't give up though..... I could remember at times it was not soft, or it broke when released in boiling sugar syrup but still i kept trying on and on and on... At last, one fine day, it was just perfect to be served. And that's how i believe in the saying that "Practice makes a COOK perfect." :)
  

Rasgulla

Ingredients 

• Milk - 1/2 litre
• Vinegar - 1.5 tbsp
• Water - 1 and 3/4 cups water
• Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Cardamom powder- A generous pinch

Method

• Heat milk, bring it to boil and simmer it. Take 1.5 tbsp Vinegar and keep it ready.
• When milk starts boiling, add the Vinegar to the boiling milk and stir properly. Stir continuously till the whey water clears and the milk curdles completely. You can take some whey water which can be reserved for future use which is what I did. Now switch off the stove.
• Take a muslin cloth and pour the curdled milk,filtering the whey water completely.Wash it well in running cold water to remove the vinegar smell. Squeeze the excess water and hang it aside for 30mins without disturbing it.
• After 30mins, the paneer would be crumbly in texture. Now knead it well for 10mins. Once everything comes together to a smooth pilable dough, form them into smooth mini/normal lemon sized balls and keep aside. I made around 7-8 mini balls.
• Heat water in a wide bottomed vessel, then add sugar,and keep stirring till sugar dissolves completely. When the sugar syrup boils and starts bubbling,add 2 tbs of raw milk to remove the waste from the sugar syrup.(After adding the milk in the boiling sugar syrup,an off whilte layer of foam kind will start floating.you need to remove that to clean up the syrup)
• Now add the balls slowly one by one in sugar syrup and simmer it for 3mins.
• The balls will go to the corner, move them to the middle. But do not disturb frequently as it may break the Rasgullas Keep in medium flame and close with a lid. Cook for 20mins opening the lid every 3-4 mins this is to ensure the vapour passes out not allowing the sugar syrup to ooze out. After 10 mins, the balls would be closely doubled in size.
•  This is the stage when your Rasgullas are done and Add cardamom powder.
•  Ready to be served either hot or chill. ENJOY.......