Bengali Rasgulla | Sponge Rasgulla Recipe | Rasgulla Recipe Using Pressure Cooker Method

Two more days for Diwali and know Everyone is gearing up for Diwali. We too started ours and did cleaning and other things Yesterday and today started making sweets and savories. Few more sweets to be prepared and will finish it by tomorrow. Both my boys had given me a list of their favorite sweets and savories that they wanted for Diwali. Hope I could make at least half of list. Coming to the recipe, Rasgulla / Bengali Rasgulla using Pressure cooker method, The traditional way of making Rasgulla is different and a time consuming process but this pressure cooker method is so easy and no fail recipe and also yields super soft and spongy Rasgullas.

I have tried both the stove top method and pressure cooker method and felt more comfortable with the later method. The only thing you need to note, use full fat milk and have to knead the paneer well. After tasting my Rasgulla, my neighbor Auntie told that she never made such soft and spongy rasgulla in her life, She also mentioned that the softness is fully based on kneading the Paneer and I did that job very well. I was so happy and felt proud to get such nice appreciation from her. So if you haven't tried making Rasgulla in pressure cooker, just give it a try and you will be surprised with the result and make sure you knead the Paneer well.

Recipe Source : NishaMadhulika's

Prep Time : 20 minutes | Cook Time : 15-20 minutes

Recipe Category : Sweets | Recipe Cuisine : Indian

Makes 20 Rasgullas

Ingredients

1. Full Fat Milk    4 cups(I used Organic wholemilk)
2. Yogurt   1/4 cup and 2 tbsp
3. Sugar   1 and 1/2 cup
4. Water  3 cups
5. Saffron or Cardamom powder  a pinch for flavor
6. Chopped Pistachios  for garnishing(optional)

Method

• In a sauce pan, add milk and bring it to boil, when it starts boiling and frothy, add 2 tbsp yogurt and stir well.

• It will start curdling, keep stirring and after a minute interval add another 2 tbsp of yogurt and keep stirring.

• Once the milk completely curdles and you see the whey water separated.

• Now take a cheese cloth and cover it over a large bowl, this is to collect the whey water.(don't throw it, use it to knead chapathi dough, soup, gravy)
• Immediately strain the paneer and wash the strained paneer once in running water(this is optional)
• and squeeze the excess water completely. If you want you can let it hang for 20-30 minutes. But i squeezed completely and started kneading the paneer instantly.

• Transfer the drained paneer to a wide bowl or plate, now it will look crumble like texture.
• Now start kneading it to a smooth and soft dough for 6-7 minutes. It should form a soft and smooth dough.

• Then divide the paneer into 20 small balls(as it will double in size after cooking) and roll between your palms with little pressure and shape to a smooth ball.
• After that in a pressure cooker, add sugar and water stir well and bring it to boil.
• Let the syrup boil for another 5 minutes, then add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker with lid and pressure cook in medium high heat for 1 whistle.
• after one whistle, turn the heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes.

• And then remove the cooker from flame and let it sit for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wide vessel containing cold water.
• Let the cooker sit in the cold water vessel for few minutes and then slight lift the weight to check any pressure is there, if not gently and carefully open the lid.
• Now you can see the paneer balls turned into soft and spongy rasgullas and have doubled in size.
• That's it..Rasgullas are ready, let it rest in the sugar syrup for 30-40 minutes. Chill it and serve chilled.
• If desired, garnish with chopped pistachios and saffron strands. 

Notes:
Use full fat milk, even 2% milk will not give you soft and spongy rasgullas. Kneading paneer is very much important, using your finger tips or palm edge mash the paneer crumbs well, you will see a smooth and soft texture of paneer as you keep mashing it. Once it is well mashed you will be able to roll it to a dough and now keep rotating and folding the dough for few more minutes. That's it..sure your Rasgullas will be super soft and spongy.
You can also wait till the pressure cools down by itself. But I am convenient with this method but if you are doing please take care to handle the hot pressure cooker, don't try to open the lid before pressure cools down.
I used Organic Pure Cane Sugar. That's why the syrup looks bit dark.

Sending this to Vardhini's Dish It Out-Diwali Bash Event and to Diwali Recipes Event at Mayuri's Jikoni