Rasgulla
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Alternate name(s) | Rasogulla |
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Orissa, Bengal |
| Dish details | |
| Main ingredient(s) | Chhena, Semolina, Sugar |
| Variations | Bikalkar rasagola, Kheermohan |
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This article's factual accuracy is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. (November 2009) |
Rasgulla (Oriya: ରସଗୋଳା rôsôgola; Bengali: রসগোল্লা rôshogolla [ˈrɔʃoˌgolːa]; Hindi: रसगुल्ला rasgullā) is a syrupy dessert of Orissa and Bengal.
It is made from balls of chhena (an Indian cottage cheese) and semolina dough, cooked in sugar syrup.
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[edit] Preparation
Rasgulla is prepared by kneading chhena, often lightened with a small amount of semolina, and rolling it into small balls. These are then boiled in a light sugar syrup until the syrup permeates the dough. Seasonings, including cardamoms, rose water, and pistachio, are often added.
[edit] History
Rasgulla is a very popular cheese based, syrupy sweet dish that made its debut in Orissa[1][2][3][4][5]. It is supposed to have been a traditional Odia dish for centuries[6][7]. Arguably, the best rasgullas in Orissa were made by the Kar brothers, the descendants of a local confectioner, Bikalananda Kar, in the town of Salepur, near Cuttack[8]. Another variant of this dish that is made in the town of Pahala, located between the cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, is also very popular locally[9]. According to one prominent theory, the rasgulla owes its origin to the town of Puri in coastal Orissa. In this town, the dish has been the traditional offering to the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi, the consort of the Puri temple's main deity, Jagannath. Eminent historian, J. Padhi has claimed that "the rasgulla is more than 600 years old. It is as old as the Rath yatra in Puri"[10][11]. In fact, it is an age-old custom inside the temple to offer rasgullas to Lakshmi in order to appease her wrath for being ignored, immediately following the commencement of the annual chariot festival (Rath Yatra)[12][13]. Upon close examination of religious scriptures in Puri, Padhi, as well as another researcher, S. C. Mahapatra have discovered that this practice dates back at least 300 years[10]. "The Rath yatra, which started more than six centuries ago, has not changed with times. And till today, rasgulla is the only sweet offered to Mahalaxmi [Lakshmi], Jagannath’s consort, to appease her when the deities return home," Padhi observes[10][11].
The recipe for making rasgullas eventually traveled from Orissa to neighboring West Bengal. This was during the Bengal renaissance when brahmin cooks from Orissa, especially from Puri, were routinely employed in richer Bengali households. Recognized for their culinary skills, they were usually referred to as Ude Thakurs. As a result, many Odia delicacies got incorporated into Bengali cuisine[14][15]. It is widely believed[by whom?] that in 1868, Nobin Chandra Das of Bagbazar, Kolkata, modified the original recipe to extend the shelf life of the highly perishable sweet and make it marketable. This modification made the rasgulla somewhat spongier and tougher and also, as some maintain, compromised on the dish's taste. Nevertheless, Das earned the sobriquet, "rasgulla's Columbus" within local circles. His son, K. C. Das started canning rasgullas leading to their even wider availability. These became known as the sponge rasgullas. Another Bengali claim credits a certain Haradhan Maira for the recipe's introduction in Bengal in place of Nobin Chandra Das.
Eventually the popularity of rasgullas spread to all other parts of India. Although traditionally sold inside clay pots in Orissa and sometimes in Bengal, sponge rasgullas in cans have become popular nowadays. Such canned rasgullas are available throughout India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as in South Asian grocery stores in Britain and North America. They are marketed not only by K. C. Das and (more recently) the Kar brothers, but also by several other Indian sweet makers from places such as Bikaner and Delhi. In Nepal, the rasgulla is called Rasbari[16].
[edit] Variations
Rasgullas are usually served at room temperature or colder. However modern Indian households also tend to serve them chilled. The Pahala variant of Orissa is perhaps unusual in being one that is served piping hot[9].
In Bengal, kheermohan refers to a bigger version of rasgulla, whereas in Orissa, where rasgullas are generally larger in size, the words kheermohan and rasgulla are used more interchangeably.
In Orissa, it is not uncommon to embed a single raisin or cashew inside each rasgulla. Elsewhere, a single cardamom seed[clarification needed] is embedded to create a fragrant version. In northern India, the dish also comes flavored in saffron, rosewater, and sometimes garnished with chopped pistachios.
In Orissa and Bengal, a variation of this dish that is made of jaggery is prepared during festive occasions.
[edit] Derivatives
Rasgulla is the first syrupy Indian cheese desserts. It is the precursor of many other Odia and Bengali delicacies, such as chhena jhilli, rasmalai, raskadam, chamcham, pantua, malai chop, and kheersagar. Rasgulla, along with chhena gaja and chhena poda, forms the classic Odia trinity of chhena desserts. In Bengal, rasgulla and a variety of other chhena sweets such as sondesh, are collectively referred to as Bengali sweets.
Kamalabhog, which mixes orange extract with the chhena, is commonly sold in Bengal. In the dish kheersagar, thick, sweetened milk called rabidi is used instead of sugar syrup. While this dish is largely confined to Orissa, a similar dish rasmalai has become very popular throughout India, mainly due to the efforts of the Kolkata based confectioners K. C. Das, Ganguram and Bhim Nag. In that, the syrup is replaced with sweetened milk of a thinner consistency.
Malai chop, a Kolkata invention, consists of prepared chhena that is sandwiched with a layer of sweet, creamy substance also made of milk. In the Bengali pantua, the chhena balls are deep fried in oil before being soaked in syrup.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on |
- Rasagoola of Pahal, Orissa
- Largest Rasagola market in the world
- Video on how to make Rosogolla
- Orissa: Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Cuttack & Konark - Land Of Gods & Great Food
- Rasgulla Recipe
- Kolkata
- Rasgula at Contact Pakistan
- Munus Shankar, "Indian Sweets and Desserts"
- RasMalai Ras Gulla (Cheese Balls in Sugar Syrup)
- Image of Rasgulla
- Rasgulla - A traditional syrup based dessert of Bengal (several recipes)
[edit] References
- ^ "Indian Sweets". http://www.indianetzone.com/2/indian_sweets.htm.
- ^ "Origins of Indian Food - II - Rossagolla". http://ponniyinselvan.in/forum/history-discussions/origins-indian-food-ii-rossagolla-7225.html.
- ^ "Recipe Rasgulla". http://www.indiacurry.com/desserts/ds014rasgulla.htm.
- ^ "The Sweet Wars: Rasagolla vs. Chhena Poda". http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?art_ID=19188687.
- ^ "The Great Indian Cuisine". http://www.infostories.com/.
- ^ "Rasagulla or Rosogulla". http://www.sonzyskitchen.com/tag/recipe/.
- ^ "Cary's Little India". http://www.ncfolk.org/ncfood/CarysLittleIndia.aspx.
- ^ "Rasgulla". http://www.bangalinet.com/rasgulla.html.
- ^ a b "The Sweet Bypass on NH-5". http://www.uppercrustindia.com/12crust/twelve/season8.htm.
- ^ a b c Mohapatra, Debabrata (2007-07-29). "Researchers Claim Rasgullas Were Born In Puri". Times News Network.
- ^ a b Padhi, Jagabandhu (2000). "Sri Jagannatha at Puri". S.G.N. Publications.
- ^ "Trinity Home". http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20070728231935&Page=Q&Title=Orissa&Topic=0.
- ^ "Puri Facts". http://www.idiscoverindia.com/Travel_Puri/Puri_facts_figure.html.
- ^ "Origin of Rasgulla, History of Rasgulla". http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/history-of-rasgulla-2327.html.
- ^ "History of Rasgulla". http://thundafunda.com/33/life/6/History-Of-Rasgulla.php.
- ^ "Rasgulla". http://www.food-india.com/recipe/R001_025/R001.htm.
