Odisha Rasabali Chenna Sweet Milk Saffron Kendrapat Odisha

Ingredients

• For chhena patties:
• 400g fresh chhena (from 1.5 litres full-fat milk curdled with lemon juice)
• 2 tbsp fine semolina
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Oil for frying
• For the rabri (thickened milk):
• 1 litre full-fat milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• A generous pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk

Method

1. Soak at least 2 hours before serving.
2. Make chhena: curdle 1.5 litres full-fat milk with lemon juice.
3. Drain, hang 30 minutes until all whey drips out.
4. Chhena should be soft and moist.
5. Knead chhena with semolina, sugar and cardamom for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic.
6. Divide into 12 portions. Flatten each into an oval disc about 6 cm long and 1 cm thick — thicker than rasgulla.
7. Heat oil for deep frying on medium. Fry discs for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden-brown. Drain.
8. Make rabri: boil 1 litre milk in a heavy pot.
9. Reduce to medium. Simmer stirring every 5 minutes for 20 to 25 minutes until reduced to about 2/3 of original volume.
10. Add sugar, cardamom and saffron milk. Stir.
11. Add the fried chhena discs to the hot rabri.