{"id":"recipe_598e50fb69","slug":"ras-malai","title":"Ras Malai","description":"A classic Indian dessert featuring soft, delicate cottage cheese patties soaked in a rich, cardamom-scented saffron cream milk.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":30,"cookMinutes":45,"totalMinutes":75,"activeMinutes":45},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"1 liter Whole Milk (for Chenna)","name":"Milk","quantity":1,"unit":"l","usQuantity":"4 1/4","usUnit":"cup","form":"whole","notes":"for making the cheese curd (chenna)","group":"Chenna (Patties)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"2 tablespoons Lemon Juice","name":"Lemon Juice","quantity":30,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"fresh","notes":"diluted with 2 tbsp water","group":"Chenna (Patties)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"1 teaspoon Cornstarch","name":"Cornstarch","quantity":5,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tsp","form":"powder","notes":"acts as a binder","group":"Chenna (Patties)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"1 liter Whole Milk (for Rabri)","name":"Milk","quantity":1,"unit":"l","usQuantity":"4 1/4","usUnit":"cup","form":"whole","notes":"to be reduced for the syrup (rabri)","group":"Rabri (Milk Syrup)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"100 grams Sugar (for Rabri)","name":"Sugar","quantity":100,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"1/2","usUnit":"cup","form":"granulated","notes":"adjust to taste","group":"Rabri (Milk Syrup)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder","name":"Cardamom","quantity":1,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"1/2","usUnit":"tsp","form":"powder","notes":"freshly ground preferred","group":"Rabri (Milk Syrup)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"1 pinch Saffron Strands","name":"Saffron","quantity":0.1,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"pinch","form":"strands","notes":"soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk","group":"Rabri (Milk Syrup)","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"20 grams Pistachios and Almonds","name":"Almonds","quantity":20,"unit":"g","usQuantity":0.7,"usUnit":"oz","form":"slivered","notes":"for garnish","group":"Rabri (Milk Syrup)","optional":true},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"1 liter Water (for sugar syrup)","name":"Water","quantity":1,"unit":"l","usQuantity":"4 1/4","usUnit":"cup","form":"liquid","notes":"for cooking the chenna balls","group":"Cooking Syrup","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-10","original":"200 grams Sugar (for sugar syrup)","name":"Sugar","quantity":200,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"cup","form":"granulated","notes":"used to cook the balls","group":"Cooking Syrup","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) of milk to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and gradually add the diluted lemon juice until the milk curdles completely.","group":"Making Chenna","title":"Bring 1 liter of milk","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Making Chenna"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"Strain the curdled milk through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Rinse the chenna under cold running water to remove the lemon flavor. Squeeze out excess water and hang the cloth for 30 minutes to drain fully.","group":"Making Chenna","title":"Strain the curdled milk through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth","timerMinutes":30,"sourceTitle":"Making Chenna"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Transfer the chenna to a plate. Add 1 tsp cornstarch and knead with the heel of your palm for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and non-sticky. Shape into 12 small balls and flatten them slightly into patties.","group":"Shaping","title":"Transfer the chenna","timerMinutes":8,"sourceTitle":"Shaping"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"In a wide pot, mix 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) water and 200g (1 cup) sugar. Bring to a boil. Gently add the chenna patties. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. The patties will double in size.","group":"Cooking Patties","title":"Mix 1 liter water and 200g sugar","timerMinutes":15,"sourceTitle":"Cooking Patties"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"Meanwhile, in another pan, boil the remaining 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) of milk. Reduce it on low heat until it reaches half its volume. Add 100g (1/2 cup) sugar, cardamom powder, and the saffron milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.","group":"Preparing Rabri","title":"Boil the remaining 1 liter of milk","timerMinutes":20,"sourceTitle":"Preparing Rabri"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Take the cooked chenna patties out of the sugar syrup. Gently press each patty between two spoons to squeeze out the syrup. Drop the patties into the hot rabri. Garnish with nuts. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.","group":"Final Assembly","title":"Take the cooked chenna patties out of the sugar syrup","timerMinutes":120,"sourceTitle":"Final Assembly"}],"notes":"Always use full-fat whole milk for both the chenna (cheese) and the rabri (syrup) to ensure the richest texture. Do not over-knead the chenna; stop as soon as it becomes smooth to avoid it releasing grease.","cuisine":{"group":"Desi","specific":["North Indian","Bengali"]},"course":["dessert"],"cookingMethod":["boil","simmer"],"equipment":["Heavy-bottomed pan","Muslin cloth","Wide pot","Spatula"],"diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free"],"allergens":["milk","tree_nuts"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":12,"unit":"piece","note":"Makes about 12-15 pieces"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"Ras Malai must be made at least 4-6 hours ahead to allow the patties to soak up the milk syrup."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator immersed in the milk syrup.","reheatingNotes":"Best served chilled; do not reheat."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_598e50fb69%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=143481d7-3fde-4700-9557-123bc47be837","imageAlt":"Ras Malai — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["indian sweets","cheese dessert","saffron","cardamom","festive","vegetarian"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Ras Malai","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T17:35:45.996Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T17:35:45.996Z","related":[{"id":"recipe_c7386513c8","slug":"meethi-lassi","title":"Meethi Lassi","description":"A refreshing and creamy traditional Indian yogurt drink sweetened with sugar and delicately flavored with green cardamom.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":0,"totalMinutes":5,"activeMinutes":5},"cuisine":{"group":"Desi","specific":["Punjabi"]},"course":["dessert","side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_c7386513c8%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=1dba5e4c-1975-4b21-b98b-9b2c36dcca33","imageAlt":"Meethi Lassi — recipe cover","tags":["lassi","yogurt-drink","sweet","refreshing","indian-beverage","punjabi","cardamom"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":6,"stepCount":4},{"id":"recipe_3ab4587e11","slug":"mysore-pak","title":"Mysore Pak","description":"A classic South Indian delicacy, this Mysore Pak is a rich, buttery, and porous sweet made with gram flour, sugar, and plenty of ghee.","serves":12,"time":{"prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":20,"totalMinutes":30,"activeMinutes":20},"cuisine":{"group":"Desi","specific":["South Indian"]},"course":["dessert"],"difficulty":"hard","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_3ab4587e11%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=b99a4e0d-f2c2-41e5-80b4-1f33ee6f963f","imageAlt":"Mysore Pak — recipe cover","tags":["traditional","festive","sweet","buttery","south indian"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":4,"stepCount":8},{"id":"recipe_c015d6c046","slug":"gajar-ka-halwa","title":"Gajar Ka Halwa","description":"A classic North Indian carrot pudding, slow-cooked to perfection with milk, ghee, and sugar, flavored with cardamom and garnished with crunchy nuts.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":15,"cookMinutes":45,"totalMinutes":60,"activeMinutes":30},"cuisine":{"group":"Desi","specific":["North Indian"]},"course":["dessert"],"difficulty":"medium","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_c015d6c046%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=f95a3989-1fbd-40c5-bfe0-ca1df73a6576","imageAlt":"Gajar Ka Halwa — recipe cover","tags":["sweet","carrot","halwa","indian dessert","winter recipe"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":7,"stepCount":6}]}