Rasabali
I have fond memories of my childhood vacations being spent in Kendrapara (my maternal uncle's home).
As a kid our summer vacation means, it has to be mandatorily spent in mamu ghara. With festivals like rajja n savitri osha around, I have a lot of fond memories there. For us, food was an emotion.. I was introduced to a lot of delectable food there which are famous for its origin like rasabali, potali pitha, biri pura dia manda, n biri alu chop ..few to name..One of which is:
Rasabali, the fried cottage cheese( chhena) balls, soaked in thickened and sweetened milk, which is originated from the Baladevjew Temple of kendrapara, is also an item of chappan bhog, that is offered as Mahaprasad, at Puri Jagannath Temple.
The earthy aroma of warm rasabali in an earthen pot covered with sal leaves that we get from the temple ,is one of the heavenly delicacies to savour..It is usually a temple dish which i had recreated at home…
Ingredients
Milk - 1.5 ltr
Lemon juice/ vinegar - 1 tbsp
Whole wheat flour- 2 tbsp
Sugar - 3 tbsp
Cardamom (crushed)- 1 tsp
Saffron - a pinch
Instructions
Boil 1 ltr milk in a large saucepan(from 1.5 ltr, we will use another ½ ltr later).
When it starts boiling, add lemon juice/ vinegar.
Let the milk curdle, till solids separates & chhena is formed.
Cool it completely & strain the whey.
Take chhena, in a cloth & squeeze out excess whey.
Let it hang for 1 hr till all the whey drips out.
In a plate, take the chhena, add ½ tsp crushed cardamom and ¾ tbsp sugar & mash it thoroughly with the help of heels of your palm.
Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and mash again till it becomes smooth & you can see oil in your palm.
Make it into a smooth dough.
Make small sized balls & keep aside.
Now heat oil +ghee in a deep & flat frying pan.
When oil gets heated( not very hot or else chhena ball will darken quickly), slowly put the balls into it in batches( don't overcrowd as these are delicate and may break).
For 2 mins dont flip the balls(let the balls get fried on one side)
Then slowly flip it..& deep fry rest of the cheese balls.
Take it out on a plate.
In another deep & wide saucepan, boil ½ ltr milk till it reduce to some extent. You can take full fat milk as it is thick.
To it, add 2 tbsp sugar, a pinch of saffron and ½ tsp crushed cardamom.
Let it boil for 2-3 mins more on medium flame till the flavour is mixed well.
Now add the deep dried cheese balls into it slowly.
Let it cook for 2 mins on slow flame.
Switch off the flame. The cheeseballs will get soaked in the milk.
Let it cool down gradually then garnish with chopped pista & serve it warm.
Note:
These become soft melt in the mouth types after being soaked in milk.
Can refrigerate it and consume within a day as these are milk products and can go stale, when kept for longer outside.
