Bengali sweet recipe

Certainly! Here's a recipe for a popular Bengali sweet called "Rasgulla":

Ingredients:

- 1 liter full-fat milk

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1 cup sugar

- 4 cups water

- A few strands of saffron (optional)

- 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)

- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

- Chopped pistachios or almonds for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat.

2. Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice. Stir gently until the milk curdles and the whey separates.

3. Line a sieve or colander with a cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Pour the curdled milk into the cloth to strain out the whey. Rinse the curdled milk under cold water to remove any lemony flavor.

4. Gather the ends of the cloth and squeeze out any remaining whey. Hang the cloth with the curdled milk for about 30 minutes to allow excess water to drain out.

5. After 30 minutes, remove the curdled milk from the cloth and knead it well on a clean surface until it becomes a smooth dough-like consistency.

6. Divide the dough into small equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth balls without any cracks. Set them aside.

7. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.

8. Once the sugar syrup comes to a rolling boil, carefully add the prepared dough balls (rasgullas) into the syrup one by one. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

9. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and sprinkle the saffron strands (if using), rose water (if using), and cardamom powder over the rasgullas. Gently stir them in.

10. Cover the saucepan again and let the rasgullas cook for another 10-15 minutes until they become soft, spongy, and doubled in size.

11. Once cooked, turn off the heat and allow the rasgullas to cool in the sugar syrup. As they cool, they will absorb the syrup and become even more flavorful.

12. Once cooled, you can garnish the rasgullas with chopped pistachios or almonds.

13. Serve the rasgullas chilled or at room temperature. They are best enjoyed on the same day but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Enjoy your homemade Bengali Rasgullas!