Ingredients

• For the 'rabri' or milk sauce:

• 500 ml. full cream milk

• 1 small tin of condensed milk, unsweetened. If sweetened condensed milk is used, do not add extra sugar

• Ground cardamoms or rose essence or Saffron for flavouring

• Sugar to taste

• 1 tbsp. pistachios, shredded finely

• For the Rasmalai:

• 1 cup milk powder

• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

• 1 medium egg lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Making Rabri or milk sauce:

2. Bring milk to boil in a heavy bottomed, deep frying pan or a karahi. Turn heat down to a brisk simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently, to stop milk from sticking to the bottom and 'catching'. This is important because if the boiling milk burns, the whole rabri sauce becomes useless and has to be thrown away.

3. Add tinned condensed milk, cardamom powder and sugar. Keep it on gentle simmer.

4. Making Rasmalai, while the milk is boiling:

5. Beat the egg lightly.

6. Place milk powder and baking powder in a bowl. Add a little egg, 1 tsp. or less, at a time and mix well, until a dough consistency is reached.

7. Divide the dough into 8-10 portions with the help of a teaspoon and greased fingers.

8. Roll out into balls and then flatten each ball slightly, like a thick biscuit or a �peda�.

9. Slide the flattened balls into simmering milk gently.

10. Cook briskly for 7-8 minutes. They will roughly double in size and float to the surface.

11. Add half the pistachios and mix.

12. Cool and transfer into a serving dish. Garnish with remaining pistachios.

13. Serve chilled.

Notes

• It is better to use a heavy bottomed frying pan than a karahi, because rasmalaies should be spread out and not lie on top of each other. They need room to expand as they boil. They are less likely to break if they do not overlap.

• If using saffron or rose water for flavouring, add these when cooking is over or the flavour will be lost.