13 March- Rasogolla

A result of another craving. I became a bigger fan of rasogolla only after moving out of home. North Indian "rasgulla" is an abomination- hard, spongy, super-sweet. Every trip home has been sweetened by real Bengali rasogollas.

There was one time I can recall when my father tried making rasogollas. They were okay. Another time I tried making some during college, but they turned out to be "rubbergollas"- very close to inedible.

This time, on the other hand, they taste quite heavenly. The process is pretty simple- thanks to a good Youtube tutorial.

Seeking escape from boredom through cooking is perhaps not that uncommon. This is not the first time it is happening to me, either. The first time, it was in Germany. I used to cook very elaborate meals those days, primarily because I had nothing else to do. This time too, it gets difficult to live alone. There is nobody when I come home, no friends in the city, not even many phone calls. There is a limit to how much Facebook/ Netflix one can watch.  Even when I am drowning in work (as always), spending time on cooking is what makes it significantly more bearable. There was a time I could not cook for solo meals but maybe now I am getting used to it. One gets used to loneliness... that's good.

Recipe-

Add yoghurt to boiling milk (250 gm for one litre) and make chhana. Immediately strain it through cotton cloth- do not squeeze too hard. Let it hand for 15 minutes.

Boil 3 cups sugar and 6 cups water in a pressure cooker.

Add 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp suji to chhana and knead until smooth. Do not press very hard or the oil will be lost. Make round balls- all together.

Lower heat and throw balls into syrup. Close lid and cook for two whistles in high flame. Lower heat and let it cook for 15 minutes.

Sweetness!