How to Make Rasgulla from Paneer

The delicious rasgulla has to be the ultimate sweet dish that has truly ‘changed the game’ in terms of how sweets are seen and enjoyed in India. Everyone’s favorite sweet dumplings are ideal for any celebratory event. 

You can even make rasgulla from paneer / fresh cottage cheese! Wondering how? Read on!

Rasgulla, also known as Roshogolla, is a South Asian syrupy delicacy popular in India. It’s a classic Indian dessert that’s adored by people all over South Asia! 

Squishy ball-shaped dumplings made from paneer or Indian cottage cheese and semolina flour are cooked in a sugar syrup flavored with cardamom and rosewater for a delicious treat that is just delightful.

How to Make Rasgulla from Paneer

Are you ready to try your hand at making some spongy rasgullas from paneer? Below is a tried and tested step-by-step recipe for you to make this delicacy.

Ingredients

• Cream Milk
• Lemon Juice
• Sugar
• Flour
• Rosewater

Steps Required to Make Rasgullas

The following are the basic steps you need to take to make rasgullas –

1. Paneer/chenna preparation
2. Kneading paneer and rolling it into balls
3. Making sugar syrup 
4. Boiling the rasgullas
5. Refrigerate them after cooling them down

Paneer Preparation

1. Line a big fine-mesh sieve with several sheets of cheese cheesecloth or simply use a man’s handkerchief or thin muslin cloth for straining. Set aside a large bowl.
2. Bring milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly drizzle in the fresh lemon juice, stirring constantly. The milk begins to curdle as you whisk. If the mixture does not curdle, add more lemon juice and stir.
4. When the curds begin to separate from the milk, turn off the stove and lay the curdled milk aside for 10 minutes to enable the curdling process to finish.
5. Quickly strain the cheese. You will see the leftover greenish whey when you strain it. Wash the milk solids under running cold water to cease the cooking process and remove the citrus flavor.
6. Gather the cloth’s edges and lightly squeeze them together to remove the excess water. There’s no need to hang it or put weight on it because you do not want to form a paneer block for making rasgulla. Simply squeezing will suffice. Check the milk solids or chenna to see if it’s moist (not wet).

Kneading and Forming Balls

In a mixing dish, combine the fresh paneer, all-purpose flour, rose water, and knead it. Knead until it becomes a dough-like consistency. Make sure you get a smooth dough.

Continue until all the lumps have been removed, and the cheese is completely smooth. When this occurs, the cheese will begin to release its fat, leaving your hands oily. The smoothness with which you knead the cheese determines the outcome of your rasgulla-making efforts, so give it your all! 

Scatter the flour over the surface of the cheese and mix it in thoroughly to combine.

Cooking Rasgulla 

Bring sugar and water to a rolling boil in a saucepan or pressure cooker over medium heat. (without the pressure cooker being covered). As the finished rasgullas will swell to double their size while cooking in the syrup, be sure the cooker can fit them.

The pan’s shape and size are crucial in this process. Ascertain that rasgulla has ample room to spread and move. It should also be deep enough to remain immersed in the syrup. Here, a shallow and wide pan does not work.

1. Divide the dough into small marble-sized chenna balls and roll them between your palms until smooth while the sugar syrup boils.
2. Gently place the balls in the sugar syrup.
3. If you’re using a pressure cooker, cover it, add the cooker weight, and wait for the first whistle. If you’re going to use a pan, cover it and leave it alone for 15 minutes.
4. Wait for another 8 to 10 minutes after the first whistle blows before turning off.
5. Remove the cover and switch off the stove if you’re using the pan. Since the syrup is still bubbling (because of the high temperature), add 1 cup of room temperature water to cool it down and stop it from cooking any further.
6. The syrup will stop bubbling, and the rasgulla has settled to the bottom. That’s very natural.
7. Allow the rasgullas to cool completely before touching them after releasing the steam from the pressure cooker. They’ll have grown to about double their original size and will be fragile when hot.

How can you know whether your rasgulla is ready? 

Using a spoon, scoop out one rasgulla and place it in the glass of water. If it is cooked, it will sink. If it floats to the top, it’s still uncooked on the inside. More cooking is required.

8. Pour the rosewater over the rasgullas once they have cooled.
9. Before serving, chill for a few hours. Enjoy!

Rasgulla With Frozen Paneer

Want a spongy rasgulla recipe from paneer that’s even faster? You can now make soft rasgullas with ready-made paneer or completely replace the paneer with ricotta cheese!

Ingredients for Rasgulla with Frozen Paneer

• Ricotta Cheese
• Milk Powder
• White Sugar
• Water

Instructions

Step 1: To make the dough, place the ricotta cheese in the blender jar. Pulse to achieve a super smooth milk texture.

Step 2: Pour the batter onto a plate and stir in the milk powder. Knead thoroughly to get a thick, elastic dough.

Step 3: Now make little balls. Set it aside.

Step 4: Add cups of water and sugar to a large pot. Allow 3 minutes to boil over high heat.

Step 5: Cover with a lid and add the paneer balls. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Once cooked, the rasgulla will double in size, and you will get smooth white balls.

Step 6: Your snow-white rasgullas are ready to be devoured. You can serve them hot or put them in the refrigerator if you prefer them chilled. 

Is it okay to use ready paneer for rasgulla?

Rasgulla is best made with fresh chenna since it holds together well. Rasgulla with store-bought paneer is often too crumbly to hold together, but yes, you can make it, although I prefer making them with fresh homemade paneer.

What does rasgulla taste like?

Rasgullas are a light, fluffy, syrupy white-colored round dessert (similar to a snowball) that melts in your tongue quickly. 

Why does my rasgulla taste like paneer? 

Making rasgullas from paneer is easy. To get the soft and sweeter rasgullas, the chhana (also known as chenna, paneer, or fresh handmade ricotta) is essential. 

If you boil the milk after adding the lemon juice or vinegar to make chhana, you’ll get chewy Rasgulla. It will taste like paneer instead of soft, melt-in-your-mouth typical roshogolla. Thoroughly wash the chhana/cheese with fresh water to get rid of the lemony or vinegary taste in Rasgullas. Here’s how to make paneer soft.