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India is a land of cultures and traditions, which translates to a variety of foods, desserts, and different ways of preparation. One of the traditional Indian desserts that have a royal appearance and spongy texture and are served across the country on various occasions is rasmalai.
Rasmalai translates to juicy cream, which does justice to the mouth-melting dessert. A plate of rasmalai features spongy chenna balls that are served in creamy saffron-infused milk and sugar. Since rasmalai is the star dessert in many festive celebrations, it’s only natural to be curious about its history. Read on and explore the theories behind the origin of rasmalai.
The History Of Rasmalai
There are two major theories that talk about the origin of rasmalai. The first one states that a confectioner, Krishna Chandra Das, came up with the recipe for rasmalai in the 20th century. The KC Das Grandsons claim that Nobin Chandra, Krishna Chandra Das’s father, opened a sweet shop in Kolkata in 1866 and invented rasgulla by experimenting with flour and chenna. After about fifty years, KC Das experimented with the recipe further, and the origin of the chenna balls, rasmalai, started.
Another popular theory associated with the origin of rasmalai states that rasmalai was first made in the Comilla district of Bangladesh by the Sen brothers. The brothers claim to have monetised the dessert in the 19th century all across Bangladesh. Earlier, they had it named kheer bhog, which means food made for God.
The Rise Of Rasmalai
Regardless of the origin of rasmalai, the dessert gained popularity rapidly, thanks to its rich and creamy flavours. With time, the traditional recipe went through many alterations to better the taste. While the earlier version just consisted of chenna dumplings soaked in milk, rasmalai is now served in many shapes, sizes, and flavours. The addition of dry fruits, nuts and spices like saffron and cardamom has made the dessert even more indulgent.
The Secret Behind The Timeless Classic
Ever since the 19th century, rasmalai has been made, sold, and relished in several parts of the world. The dessert is a hit in South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc. The fact that rasmalai can be made in any flavour and colour made it even more diverse. However, the secret behind the spongy goodness is knowing how to balance the texture of the dessert. You should ensure that the chenna balls should be soft and spongy but should also retain their shape when soaked in a milk base.
