Ras malai
Dessert from Bengal From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ras malai, also known as rasamalei, or roshmalai, is a dessert that originated in the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent.[1] The dessert is called roshmalai in Bengali,[2] ras malai in Hindi,[3] and rasa malei in Odia.[4] It is popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.[5]
| |
| Alternative names | Rossomalai, Roshmolai, Rasamalei |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Bangladesh India (West Bengal) |
| Region or state | Bengal, South Asia |
| Associated cuisine | India, Bangladesh, Pakistan |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | Chhena, malai, saffron, sugar |
| Variations | Comilla's roshomalai, Kolkata's roshomalai |
| Similar dishes | Rasgulla, Paskha |
Origin and etymology
The original term for ras malai is "rosh malai (Bengali: রস মালাই) which derived from the Classical Bengali word "rosho malai" with the same meaning.
The term is a combination of the Bengali word Rosh, (Bengali: রস) which means sap, and the Hindustani word Malai, (Hindi: मलाई, Urdu: ملائی) which means clotted cream, hence the name: sweet sap of clotted cream.[3]
The sweet allegedly became popular when the Sen brothers opened Matri Bhandar in 1930 and shared their ancestral recipe at Tipperah district (now Comilla, Bangladesh) of the Bengal Province. Which has been granted a geographical indication (GI) in Bangladesh.[6][7] Soon in the mid 20th century, Ras Malai became a regionally popular sweets across South Asia apart from Bengal. Other variation includes Ras Malai of Kolkata by K. C Das.[8]
The Sen brothers of Comilla operating under the Matri Bhandar brand claim to be the original maker of the dessert. This is disputed by K.C. Das Grandsons, who claim that it was invented by K.C. Das in Kolkata.[9][10]
Process
Ras malai consists of flattened balls of chhena soaked in malai. Milk is boiled and a small amount of lemon juice is added to curdle it. The whey is discarded and the chhena is drained, cooled and kneaded into a dough. The dough is divided into small balls, and the balls are cooked in a sugar-water mix. The balls are then soaked in milk mixed with some or all of saffron, pistachios, rose water, or cardamom.[11]
Variations
Different types of ras malai can be found in different areas such Rasmanjuri of Rangpur division. In Dhaka and Rangpur, the ras malais are similar in shape to the rasgullas,[12] and round discs.
See also
References
External links
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