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Pakistani
Ras Malai Dessert
70 min total30 prep40 cook6 servings340 cal
VegetarianClassicContains dairyContains tree nut
Soft, spongy cheese discs simmered in syrup, then soaked in thickened, cardamom-and-saffron-scented milk. A delicate, melt-in-the-mouth dessert crowned with slivered nuts.
Ingredients
dairy
- 6 cupwhole milk
pantry
- 3 tbsplemon juice
- 1.5 cupgranulated sugar
- 0.5 tspcardamom powder
- 1 pinchsaffron
- 3 tbsppistachios
- 3 tbspalmonds
other
- 4 cupwater
Steps
- Bring 3 cups of the milk to a boil, then add the lemon juice to curdle it into chenna.
- Strain the curds through cheesecloth and rinse under cold water to remove the lemon taste.
- Squeeze out the excess water and knead the chenna until smooth and pliable.
- Divide and shape the chenna into small flat discs.
- Boil the sugar with 4 cups water to make a light syrup.
- Gently slide the discs into the simmering syrup, cover, and cook 12–15 minutes until they puff up.
- Meanwhile, simmer the remaining 3 cups milk with the saffron and cardamom, stirring, until reduced and thickened into rabri.
- Sweeten the rabri with a little of the syrup to taste.
- Gently squeeze the syrup from each disc and slip them into the warm rabri.
- Chill the ras malai for at least 2 hours.
- Serve cold, garnished with slivered pistachios and almonds.
Tips
- Knead the fresh cheese (chenna) until smooth so the discs turn out soft and spongy.
- Simmer the discs gently in syrup so they cook through without breaking apart.
- Reduce the milk (rabri) slowly for a rich, thick soaking liquid.
- Chill thoroughly before serving so the discs fully absorb the milk.
