Rasagola is one of the most popular milk sweets in Odisha. Rasagola is offered in Lord Jagannath temple during Return Ratha yatra or Bahuda Yatra festival as mark of loving exchange between Lord Jagannath and his consort Mother Laxmi. To persuade Mother Laxmi, Lord Jagannath offers this delicacy as a part of Mana Bhanjana Pastime. Earlier references of Rasagola offering inside Jagannath Puri temple can be found in local scriptures of 15th century by several vaishnava poets. The texture, color and flavor of Rasagolas can vary based on the ingredients and preparation method. Not a single Odishan wedding, thread ceremony or any feast is complete without a Rasagola.

Ingredients:

1. Milk 1 liter

2. Lemon Juice 2 to 3 Tbsp

3. Sugar 1.and 1/4 cups

4. Water 4 cups

5. For Flavor cardamom pods or Saffron Strands or Rose water

Recipe:

Process to Make Chhena from Milk

1. In a heavy bottomed pan pour the Milk and bring it to a boil on a medium flame.

2. When milk is hot and rises to the top, pour 2 to 3 Table spoon of lemon juice from side of the pan.

3. Let it rest it for 2 minutes in low flame, milk will curdle slowly from all the edges.

4. If milk is not curdled properly add one more table spoon of Lemon juice.

5. Once milk is completely curdled, strain the curdled cheese or Chhena into a cloth lined on top of a colander.

6. Immediately rinse it well with cold water to remove lemon flavor. Chhena should be cooled down quickly, otherwise the heat in chhena which will make it hard.

7. Wrap the chhena in the cloth and squeeze to remove water. Extra water from chhena will come out, stop squeezing the cloth once you see white thin watery liquid is coming out..

8. Hang it from a higher place or a door knob for one to two hour so that all excess moisture from chhena will evaporate.

Process to make sugar syrup for Rasagola :

1. In a wide and deep container take water and boil in medium flame. The container should be wide enough to hold all the chhena balls without touching each other. It should be deep enough to hold enough water as Rasagolas will float and double up in size inside boiling water.

2. Once the water boils, add sugar and Mix. For Soft Odisha Style Rasagolas sugar to watrer proprtion is 1:3.

3. Let the sugar dissolve and bring the water to a boil till the bubble comes. The flame should be at medium high, so that the syrup is in a boiling and bubbling state when your Rasagolas are getting cooked.

4. Add Cardamom pod or saffron or rose water to have different flavors of Rasagola. Add any one of this to get a distinct flavor.

5. While the sugar syrup is getting ready, the chhena balls can be prepared

Kneading chhena to prepare balls

1. Remove the chhena from the cloth and keep it on a wide plate. The chhena should not be sticky, rather it should be of grainy texture.

2. Knead the chhena softly with your fingers and palm till it becomes smooth and uniform. There should not be any small lumps or hard pieces left which is not kneaded. This will take five to seven minutes.

3. Make small round balls out of chhena, there should not be any cracks. Otherwise it will break when they are boiled in sugar syrup. Rasagola will be doubled in size once you boil them in water. So based on your desire of size, you can prepare the balls.

Preparing the Rasagolas

1. Add the chhena balls one by one slowly to the boiling sugar water syrup. Do not cover the lid for five minutes and let it boil.

2. After five minutes, cover the lid and reduce the flame to medium high. Make sure to maintain flame at a temperature so that the water is boiling constantly.

3. If you think syrup is boiling rapidly, reduce temperature little bit. Maintaining the temperature of boiling water is important while making Rasagolas. Otherwise they became hard from inside when they are cooked on a high temperature.

4. Keep the temperature steady for 20 to 25 minutes and let the chhena balls boil nicely. They will double up in size.

5. After 20 to 25 minutes, switch off the flame and transfer the Rasagolas along with syrup to another bowl.

Rasagolas are ready to offer to Lord Jagannath.

• Note:

1. 1. Do not leave the Rasagolas in the cooking pot as with heat, the sugar syrup might thicken and Rasagolas will become hard and reduce in size.

   2. You can use food processor for kneading chhena as well to save time.

   3. If your Chhena is sticky, you can add one Tbsp of Rawa in it while kneading to absorb moisture.

   4. Do not over knead the Chhena, it will harden the Rasagolas.