By Shreya Sarpal
November 26, 2025
Pahala rasgulla is a soft, spongy sweet from Odisha, known for its creamy chhena texture and slow-cooked sweetness. It’s lighter than the Bengali version and gets its iconic flavour from gentle simmering in caramelised sugar syrup.
1 litre full-fat milk 2 tbsp lemon juice 1½ cups sugar 4 cups water 1 tsp cardamom powder
Boil milk, add lemon juice, and curdle it.
Strain, wash, and knead the chhena until smooth.
Shape into small balls.
Heat the sugar in a pan and caramelise it.
Then, boil sugar and water to make a thin syrup until it develops a light brown colour.
Add the chhena balls and simmer for 30-35 minutes until spongy.