Rasgulla (literally “syrup-filled roll”)[a] is a syrupy dessert popular in the eastern part of South Asia. It is made from ball-shaped dumplings of chhena and semolina dough, cooked in light sugar syrup made of sugar. This is done until the syrup permeates the dumplings.
Rasgulla
The earliest evidence of rasagola can be found in the epic poem Dandi Ramayana which was composed by the famous Odia poet Balarama Dasa in which he mentioned that rasagola is offered to Maa Laxmi by Lord Jagannath in a ritual called Niladri Bije.
While it is near-universally agreed upon that the dessert originated in the eastern Indian subcontinent, the exact locus of origin is disputed between locations such as West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Odisha, where it is offered at the Puri Jagannath Temple.
In 2016, the West Bengal government applied for a geographical indication (GI) tag for the variant called “Banglar rosogolla” (Bengali rasgulla) clarifying that the Bengal and Odisha variants were different in “both in colour, texture, taste, juice content and method of manufacturing.”
In 2017, when West Bengal got its rosogolla’s Geographical indication status, the Registry office of India clarified that West Bengal was given GI status for Banglar rosogolla and Odisha can claim it too if they cite the place of origin of their variant along with colour, texture, taste, juice content and method of manufacturing. Thus, in 2018, the government of Odisha applied for GI status for “Odisha Rasagola” (Odia Rasagola), which was approved by GI Registry of India and on July 29, 2019.
Names of Rasgulla:
Rasgulla is known by various names in different parts of India and neighbouring countries. Here are some of the different names of Rasgulla:
Rasgulla:
This is the most common name for this dessert and is used in most parts of India.
Roshogolla:
This is the Bengali name for Rasgulla, which is the birthplace of this sweet.
Rasbari:
This is another name for Rasgulla and is commonly used in Odisha.
Rossomalai:
This is a Bengali dessert that is very similar to Rasgulla but is served with thickened milk or rabri.
Angoori Gulab Jamun:
This dessert is very similar to Rasgulla but is made with khoya (milk solids) instead of chenna. It is smaller in size and has a different texture.
Chum Chum:
This is another Bengali dessert that is made from chenna and has a cylindrical shape. It is soaked in sugar syrup and flavored with saffron.
Pantua:
This is a variation of Rasgulla that is deep-fried instead of being boiled. It is a popular dessert in Bengal and Assam.
Recipe and cooking technique of Rasgulla:
Here is a recipe and cooking technique to make Rasgulla at home:
Ingredients:
- 1 liter full-fat milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3-4 cups water
- 2-3 cardamom pods
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1 tsp cornflour
Instructions:
First, prepare the chenna. In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Once the milk comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice or vinegar to it. Stir well and let it sit for a few minutes until the milk curdles and the whey separates.
Strain the curdled milk through a cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer to separate the chenna from the whey. Rinse the chenna under cold running water to remove any lemony flavor.
Gather the cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess water from the chenna. Knead the chenna with your palms for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and soft.
Divide the chenna into small equal-sized balls and keep them aside.
In a large pot, combine the sugar, water, cardamom pods, and rose water. Bring the mixture to a boil and let the sugar dissolve completely.
Add the chenna balls to the sugar syrup and cover the pot with a lid. Cook on medium-high heat for 15-18 minutes until the Rasgullas double in size and float on top of the syrup.
Remove the pot from heat and let the Rasgullas cool down in the syrup for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2-3 tbsp of water to make a slurry. Add this slurry to the syrup and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the syrup thickens and becomes slightly sticky.
Turn off the heat and let the Rasgullas and syrup cool down completely.
Serve the Rasgullas chilled or at room temperature, garnished with chopped pistachios or almonds.
Making Rasgulla at home is a simple and easy process that requires basic ingredients and cooking techniques. With this recipe, you can enjoy the soft and spongy texture of Rasgulla in the comfort of your own home.
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