Thursday, September 22, 2011

Rasmalai and 2 years of blogging



HELLO everybody! It's been a long time, isn't it? I know that for sure, because words don't flow anymore, and my fingers feel like lead as I type these words. Gosh! It's been long. Just in case you were wondering what kept us away, Sunitha made her big move to Canada, yoohoo! I am happy for her, and I got real busy with the kids. You know how summer holidays can be, right?! Swimming and day trips, hikes, shopping, just feeding them kids and all the other things that come with the territory. But behind all the chaos of our lives Collaborative Curry quietly turned 2 ! Are we proud! It's been a great journey so far in the blogging world and we love all our readers for staying tuned to this site. I read all the lovely messages you left me, and felt quite touched that you remembered and thought about us while we were away. Love you guys!

Rasmalai



Today as we make a come back I will share an Indian sweet much loved, rasmalai. It's only been a couple of years since I started making Rasmalai. Infact, i never tried it while I was living in India. You know how you crave a piece of your country or hometown when you are far from it, right. That is how I made this one day. It goes without saying that I have a sweet tooth and this is one of my favorites. The 'mithai' shops in India sell these and they are awesome. If you haven't made this at home before don't shy away from trying, it's as a breeze. Watch this video from Manjula's kitchen it is really helpful to take your fears off.

Rasmalai

Rasmalai


And here is a picture of "Colorado Gold" for you all :-) Happy Fall everyone !

Colorado Gold

Ingredients:

Milk- 4 cups
Lemon juice- 1/4 cup
Sugar- 1 1/2 cup
Water- 4 1/2 cups

For the milk syrup

Milk- 3 cups
Sugar- 1/4 cup/ to taste
Powdered cardamom- 1/2 tsp
Saffron- a pinch, soaked in a Tablespoon of warm milk
Pistachios/Almonds slivered- for garnish

Method:

1.Boil 4 cups of milk, stirring in between.
2.Meanwhile mix the lemon juice with half cup of hot water.
3.When the milk starts to boil,slowly add the lemon juice mixed with water and stir gently.Turn off the heat and you should be able to see the curd and whey starting to separate.
4.Wait for a couple of minutes.Strain this using a strainer,lined with cheese cloth.
5.Wrap the paneer in the muslin cloth and hold it under running cold tap water for a few minutes.
6.Take out the excess water by squeezing the muslin cloth or by hanging the paneer in the muslin cloth for sometime till all the water drips off.
7.You could check whether the paneer is ready by taking a small piece onto your palm and rubbing with your fingers. After about 15-20 seconds of rubbing, if you are able to make a firm and smooth ball9without any cracks) out of the paneer,it is ready.
8.If the paneer is ready, place it on a surface where you can knead it. Knead the paneer for about 5-6 minutes or till it becomes smooth.
9.Make small lemon sized balls out of this and smooth them. (There shouldn't be any cracks)Press them between the palms to give them the shape of rasmalai.
10. Boil 4 cups of water in a big pressure cooker.Add 1 1/2 cup sugar and mix it.
11.Add the rasmalai patties and close the lid of the cooker.Keep it on medium high heat.
12.When the steam starts coming turn the heat to medium and cook for about 7 minutes.
13.Turn off the heat and wait for a few minutes before you open the cooker.
14.While you wait, boil the milk for the syrup in a non sticky pan and boil it till it reduces to almost half.Stir in between.
15.After opening the cooker carefully, take out the patties and gently squeeze them to get rid of excess water.
16.Throw in the sugar into the evaporated milk and mix well.Add the patties that you kept ready and cook for a few minutes.
17.Mix the soaked saffron and the powdered cardamom.
18.Pour the rasmalai into a serving dish, garnish with pistachios/almonds. Serve chilled.

Recipe courtesy: Manjula's kitchen

64 comments:

  1. omg...this is absolutely delicious..:)

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  2. SUper super delicious and COngragulations and wishing you three many many more happy years of blogging together :-)

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  3. congratulation
    delicious looking dessert to celebrate

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  4. Nice to see you guys back ;)...Chechi , you have to make this or payasam when i visit you ;).
    and oh ! the fall colors....awesome!

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  5. congrats on completing 2 years. the rasmalai looks perfect.

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  6. The Colorado gold was beautiful...we are inching into the season. Ras Malai evokes the last whiff of summer! Perfect for the festival season though! :-)

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  7. Happy Fall to you Namitha!
    The Rasmalai looks very delicious and with my sweet tooth I am tempted:)

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  8. Congratulations dear! Tempting clicks of Rasmalai..And my my that Colarado gold autumn fall snap too is mindblowing!!

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  9. Congrats to u both !!
    Even I have a sweet tooth,and love this :)
    Adipoli fall analloo..evide ethra konum fall illa,infact eppol summer pole undu with 26- 27 degree c !!

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  10. Congo to Collaborative Curry :)) And mouth-drooling ras malai...yumm yumm!!

    http://vegetarianmedley.blogspot.com/

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  11. My first fav in dessert list. Congrats dearies.... way to go and wish u more milestones dear. shots are mindblowing as ever.

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  12. Hi Namitha, So good to see you back in the blog world - And you picked the perfect dish for both the blog anniversary and the comeback to blogging - this is my favorite of all Indian desserts, matter of fact only this morning, I Facebooked my friend telling him I am coming to india - he wants to eat Tiramasu - so I wrtoe - tiramasu for you, Rasmalai for me - You do some of the best in Delhi --Manjula Ben is the best for us bloggers to learn
    enuff said :)

    My blog turned 2 last week and I have an array of giveaways esp for US residents - so please do echk it out and participate and once again, good to have you back!

    Cheers,
    Priya
    http://priyasnowserving.blogspot.com/2011/09/now-serving-turns-one-today-with.html

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  13. Happy Blog Birthday!! The rasmalai looks so good and is a perfect way to celebrate...
    Krithi's Kitchen
    Event: Serve It - Steamed

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  14. PS that is a terrific shot of the trees changing color!

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  15. Happy birthday to ur blog baby, rasmalai looks fabulous and rich...

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  16. Yummy Rasamalai and congrats on your blog Annivarsary. Lovely fall Picture...

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  17. Firstly congratulations dear on completing 2 years. wow, that ras malai looks like the perfect thing to celebrate with.

    and, now the best part of the post (sorry don't get mad at me for calling this the best part), but it is the colorado gold pic, I mean it is mind-blowing. I cannot take my eyes off it, I so want to be there right now actually experiencing it. I love fall for this reason only :)

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  18. Welcome back! The dessert sounds awesome with saffron, pistachio, and almonds. Wish I can try some of it. Your beautiful fall picture is making me miss Colorado even more. It must be gorgeous up in Estes Park right now.

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  19. Congrats on your 2nd Blogiversary!

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  20. Congratulations on your 2nd blog aniversary! Glad to see you back. I agree; it is hard to find time to blog, especially with small children. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. It is different from anything I have seen and would love to try it:)

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  21. Hi, Ras malai looks awesome, I have been wanting to make this since a while now..my sister has become the recent expert of all bengali mithai..have to make soon and share with all my blogger friends..

    Cheers
    Muskaan

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  22. hi girls!!welcome back and congratulations !!! have seriously missed you...was so used to visual eyecandy : i love the pixs :):) am glad u r back...looking fwd ....

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  23. awesome ras malai......nice clicks as well.

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  24. welcome back dear....congrsts keep rocking!

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  25. Congrats to both of you ...you guys doing great work and rasmalai is my fav ...looks so delish ...

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  26. Congrats on the 2nd anniversary..gr8 job and just love ur blog. The rasmalai looks delicious...can relate to just how you would like to make all those dishes from scratch that were so easily available back in India. Only when one is away from home does one realize all the little things that meant so much.

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  27. Congrats and wish for many more such achieving years....rasmalai looks rich and yummy

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  28. wow awesome asmalai......congrats on ur milestone

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  29. Welcome back and congratulations to both ofyou. rasmalai looks absolutely delicious....mouthwatering.

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  30. congrats dear...keep the yummy posts coming..:)
    the dessert sounds super rich...:)
    Tasty Appetite

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  31. congrats and thnks eor sharing this wonderful dish

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  32. Congrats dear,adipoli aayitundu,love this..drooling

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  33. Congrats dear!!!
    Glad to follow u

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  34. love to see u back....N what a perfect sweet for the occasion...

    wishing u more years of happy blogging

    http://www.panchamrutham.blogspot.com/

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  35. Hi luv this Rasmalai with aperfect presentation.Luks lipsmackingly good and all other recipes too.Following U.

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  36. congratulations on completing 2 yrs! Wishing you many more to come :)

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  37. Congrats dear.. I stepped into your blog on an auspicious day!! Rasmalai as always looks sweet n Yummmy !!
    Do drop by my space too
    Erivum Puliyum
    Glad to follow you too :-))

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  38. Gracias por su comentario en mi blog.
    Me ha encantado el Rasmalai una verdadera delicia,luce absolutamente bello y exquisito,preciosas fotos.
    felicidades por su aniversario de blog,que cumpla muchos más,felicitaciones,abrazos hugs,hugs.

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  39. Absolutely delicious and mouthwatering. Congrats on your 2nd blog anniversary and wishes for many more to come.

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  40. Happy Birthday to the blog and the rasmalai is oh so tempting. Looks super delicious!!

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  41. Rasmalai and your pictures are really superb.... love ur blog...


    Dish Name Starts With K
    Learning-to-cook
    Regards,
    Akila

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  42. Congratulations on 2 years, I just came to my 2 year blog anniversary too! So nice to see you back and continuing on.

    This looks so good and interesting I just have to try and make it. I love watching Manjula's videos...that's how I learned to make dosa! Thanks for sharing this recipe and the stunning Colorado gold! I don't get to see much of that here in Florida.

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  43. Here after a long gap .Congrats on completing 2 years .Nice way to celebrate.Rasmalai looks fabulous

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  44. happy second birthday to your wonderful blog ladies this looks great ;-)

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  45. Congrats. rasmaalai looks yummy :)

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  46. Congrats! I love rasmalai but i have never made it at home. Always thought that it was not something i can dare to make it at home. I guess it's the time now.

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  47. Congrats on 2 year anniversary! Rasmaalai looks really delicious and beautiful photography. And my gosh... Colorado is so beautiful!!!!!!! I almost considered moving there. I'm love foliage but I don't see any beautiful foliage site around here in SF, definitely not like this....

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  48. rsamalayi is my fav dessert...Nice clicks...got to know you through kerala kitchen...do visit the ongoing events and participate
    Event :My Diwali My Way
    Event: Kerala Kitchen
    Roundup: What’s on your kebab platter

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  49. congrats on completing two years dear! That is so fantastic :)
    I know how life can get busy and it's good to take break and have all these fun while it's still sunny outside.
    Rasmalai is one of my fav and you made it so perfectly.
    www.sunshineandsmile.com

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  50. First time here following u with pleasure..:) Will be back again

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  51. ooh..rasmalai. How I love it! You know for the past one week I have been eating it every day! And I am not bored at all with it. Truly a classic bengali dish!
    Congratulations on completing 2 years of blogging and for Sunitha's move!

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  52. Congratulations!Looks so heavenly! Rasmalai has been on my to make list for a while and I couldnt pull my guts together to make it. I guess I have a solid recipe here. Bookmarked.

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  53. hey congratz and rasamalai looks so perfect..

    -arthi :)

    http://www.spicytasty.com/rice-dishes/curd-rice-yogurt-rice/

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  54. i really like your food pictures and want to invite you to try out tastingspot.com. it's for anyone that just wants another place to submit photos and share it will other foodies. It’s still in beta version, but would love for you to start adding some photos and help get it going.

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  55. Congratulations Namitha and Sunitha !!! A happy 2nd blog anniversary. Both of you done a great job with your blog. May the journey continue as you have succeeded in making the readers delighted with your posts, recipes and beautiful Clicks.

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  56. i like your food pictures and want to invite you to try out tastingspot.com. it's for anyone that just wants another place to submit photos and share it will other foodies. It’s still in beta version, but would love for you to start adding some photos and help get it going.

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  57. Congratulations Namitha and Sunitha. Have loved you guys' entry and hope to see a lot more :-)

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  58. happy 2 years! this month is also my 2nd year anniversary so our "babies" are of the same age!!!!
    welcome back to bloggng!

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  59. Congratulations! A happy 2nd blog anniversary. I simply love rasgulla and rasmalai. They look so delicious.

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  60. Congratulations on your blog anniversary, wishing you many happy blogging years ahead.
    The dessert looks awesome. Welcome back looking forward to your visit at@simply.food sometime.

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  61. Congratulations and beautiful clicks

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  62. Beautiful photos! So glad to have found your blog full of gorgeous recipes and images. This dessert looks perfect for the hot summer days creeping up here.

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