Rasabali
Subho Rathyatra to everyone!!! Ratha Yatra is a festival of Odisha associated with Lord Jagannath held primarily at Shri Kshetra Puri Dham. It is the oldest Rath Yatra , whose descriptions can be found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, and Skanda Purana and Kapila Samhita. Rath Yatra or Jatra is the celebration of the Lord Jagannath’s journey towards his aunt’s house. Though a festival of Odisha, it is celebrated all over West bengal with great zeal.
While in West Bengal, coming back home from rather mela with jilipi and papor is must, at my hometown, Jalpaiguri, we buy lotka (Langsah) and jilipi. A memory particular of my childhood, is buying earthen rannabati r set (kitchen set) from the mela. And then playing with real vegetables with them and of course when they used to begin stinking, my mom used to throw them. And my grandmother would buy us another set in ulto rath.
Rasabali is easy to prepare. Flattened chenna discs fried in oil and soaked in concentrated milk, rasabali is delicious. It is one of the chappana bhog offered to Lord Jagannath.
Step by step instructions to prepare Rasabali
Knead the Chenna for about 5 minutes, add the baking soda,2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the kneaded chhena and continue kneading again for another 5 minutes or till the chhena becomes absolutely smooth and you see oil in your palms.
Divide the chhena into 12 balls. Flatten each ball to a roundel and make a hole at the centre of each roundel.
In a pot, take 1 liter of milk and bring it to boil. On a low medium flame reduce the milk to about ¼ of its volume. The milk should be stirred continuously to prevent scorching at the bottom. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the concentrated milk.
Now, in a pan take oil and heat it. To the hot oil, carefully drop the roundels and fry them on low-medium heat. Keep the roundels aside. Fry all the remaining roundels.
Drop the roundels in the concentrated milk. Remove the milk from the flame and let them soak the milk.
Enjoy rasabali warm or chilled.
Rasabali
Ingredients
- 2 liters of milk
- 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons of powdered sugar
- 5-6 green cardamom ground to powder
- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
- oil for frying
- A pinch of baking soda*
Instructions
Making the Chhena
- Take one litre of milk in a pot and bring the milk to boil
- Add the lemon juice to the milk and turn off the flame. Let the milk curdle completely.
- Strain the milk in a muslin cloth and hang the muslin cloth for about an hour to get rid of the whey/water.
- Take the chhena on a plate and begin kneading the chhena with your palms.
- After kneading for about 5 minutes, add the baking soda,2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the kneaded chhena and continue kneading again for another 5 minutes or till the chhena becomes absolutely smooth and you see oil in your palms.
- Divide the chhena into 12 balls. Flatten each ball to a roundel.
- In a pot, take 1 liter of milk and bring it to boil. On a low medium flame reduce the milk to about ¼ of its volume. The milk should be stirred continuously to prevent scorching at the bottom. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the concentrated milk.**
- Now, in a pan take oil and heat it. To the hot oil, carefully drop the roundels and fry them on low-medium heat.
- Keep the roundels aside. Fry all the remaining roundels.
- Drop the roundels in the concentrated milk. Remove the milk from the flame and let them soak the milk.
- Serve the rasabali chilled or warm. They are delicious either way.
Notes
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