Rasgulla(রসগোল্লা)

 **Rasgulla** is a popular Bengali dessert made from paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cooked in sugar syrup. Here’s a simple recipe to make soft and spongy rasgullas at home:

### Ingredients:

- **For Paneer:**

  - 1 liter full-fat milk

  - 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

  - 1/2 cup water (for diluting the lemon juice)

- **For Sugar Syrup:**

  - 1 ½ cups sugar

  - 5 cups water

  - 1-2 cardamom pods (optional)

  - A few drops of rose water or kewra water (optional, for fragrance)

### Instructions:

#### Making Paneer:

1. **Boil the milk**: In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

   

2. **Curdle the milk**: Once the milk starts boiling, reduce the heat to low. Mix lemon juice or vinegar with water and gradually add it to the boiling milk while stirring continuously until the milk curdles (the whey separates from the curds).

3. **Strain the curds**: Pour the curdled milk into a cheesecloth or muslin cloth to strain the whey. Rinse the paneer with cold water to remove any sourness from the lemon juice.

4. **Drain the paneer**: Squeeze out excess water and hang the cloth for 30 minutes to let the water drain out completely. The paneer should be moist but not watery.

5. **Knead the paneer**: After 30 minutes, take the paneer and knead it on a flat surface until it becomes smooth and soft (about 8-10 minutes). There should be no visible grains. The texture should be like dough.

6. **Shape the rasgullas**: Divide the kneaded paneer into small, smooth balls. Make sure there are no cracks. You can make them slightly smaller than a golf ball, as they will expand when cooked.

#### Making Sugar Syrup:

1. **Prepare the sugar syrup**: In a large pot, add 5 cups of water and 1 ½ cups of sugar. Bring it to a boil. You can add cardamom pods for flavor if desired.

2. **Cook the rasgullas**: Once the sugar syrup starts boiling, gently add the paneer balls into the syrup. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. The rasgullas will double in size as they cook. Make sure there is enough space in the pot for them to expand.

3. **Rest the rasgullas**: After 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rasgullas rest in the sugar syrup for at least an hour to soak up the sweetness.

4. **Optional flavoring**: Add a few drops of rose water or kewra water for additional fragrance.

### Serving:

Serve the rasgullas chilled or at room temperature. You can garnish them with saffron or chopped nuts for an extra touch.

Enjoy your soft and spongy homemade rasgullas!