Anguri Rabdi (Rabri) /Cottage Cheese Balls In Thickened Milk

Anguri Rabdi (Rabri) /Cottage Cheese Balls In Thickened Milk is a variation to the popular Rasmalai – a traditional Indian sweet from the state of Bengal. Here the soft cottage cheese (chenna) is shaped into small grape size balls (angur) instead of disc like in rasmalai . It is then first soaked in sugar syrup and then in sweet and thick milk that is flavored with saffron and cardamom. It is served chilled with chopped nuts. The anguri rabri is a popular gluten free Indian sweet in and is served in weddings, birthday parties or enjoyed during festivals such as Diwali, Janmasthami, or Holi.

Grape is known as angur in Hindi. Since the chenna balls in the recipe are shaped into grape size , the name is angur rabdi.

The method of making anguri rabdi is very similar to rasmalai. Here the chenna is shaped into small balls in place of disc.

If you want saffron flavored anguri rabdi then add saffron while kneading chenna and also add more saffron while thickening milk to give a nice bright yellow colour.

I had made this recipe for the festival of Janmasthami 2021 and everyone in my house loved it.

I had shape the chenna balls around 1/2 inch diameter size and then cooked. However you can shape them more small grape size as per your choice and convenience of cooking. The balls will double in size after cooking so be careful not to shape them big before cooking.

The soft juicy chenna / cottage cheese balls are perfectly soaked in the flavored milk and every bit of it tastes divine. The anguri rabdi is best when served chilled.

I had already shared the recipe of making rasmalai earlier on the blog.

Friends do try this recipe and please share your reviews with me.

Khao dilse, khilao dilse aur banao dilse…

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Anguri Rabdi (Rabri) /Cottage Cheese Balls In Thickened Milk

Anguri Rabdi (Rabri) /Cottage Cheese Balls In Thickened Milk is a variation to the popular Rasmalai – a traditional Indian sweet from the state of Bengal. Here the soft cottage cheese (chenna) is shaped into small grape size balls (angur) instead of disc like in rasmalai . It is then first soaked in sugar syrup and then in sweet and thick milk that is flavored with saffron and cardamom. It is served chilled with chopped nuts. The anguri rabri is a popular gluten free Indian sweet in and is served in weddings, birthday parties or enjoyed during festivals such as Diwali, Janmasthami, or Holi.

Course Dessert, gluten free, sweet

Cuisine Bengali, guajrati, Indian

Keyword anguri rabdi, bengalisweet, chenna, chilleddessert, cottage cheese, diwali sweet, festival food, fullfatmilk, gujaratirecipe, holi, indiandessert, indiansweet, janmashthami, navratri, rabri, Sweet, thickenedmilk, traditional, wedding sweet

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

chilling time 5 hours

Servings 14 people

Calories 353kcal

Equipment

• heavy bottom pan x 2 (one with lid)
• spatula
• strainer
• bowl
• cotton cloth
• spoon
• flat mixing plate
• plate
• slotted spoon

Ingredients

To make chenna, knead and make round balls (angur)

• 2 l full fat milk
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornflour an extra tsp if needed
• 4 cup water
• oil to grease the palms while makin round angur or balls from chenna

Making Sugar Syrup and soaking chenna round balls (angur)

• 2 l water
• 2 cup sugar I have used raw sugar. It makes the chenna disc brownish in colour. (for bright colour use white sugar)
• 5 cardamom pods

Making Flavored Milk and soaking prepared chenna round balls (angur)

• 2 l full fat milk
• 3/4 cup sugar I have used raw sugar. You can use white sugar and adjust the amount of sugar as per the sweetness desired.
• 1 tsp cardamom powder elaichi
• 1/4 tsp saffron strands kesar
• 2 tbsp almonds sliced to garnish
• 2 tbsp pistachio slices to garnish
• 2 tbsp cashew nut sliced to garnish
• saffron strands to garnish, (optional)
• rose petals to garnish, (optional)

Instructions

To make chenna, knead and make round grape size balls (angur) – I could make around 42 angur of small 1/2 inch diameter ball size. you could make around 60 angur if you make small grape size balls from chenna.

• Put 1/4 cup of water in a heavy bottom pot.
  
• Add milk in it and bring it to boil on medium heat. Stir in between to prevent sticking at the bottom.
  
• After 7-8 minutes milk will come to a boil.
  
• Remove the pot from the heat and keep aside for a couple of minutes. Then gradually add lemon juice to it and mix.
  
• The milk has start to curdled. Add little more lemon juice.
  
• Wait for further 5 minutes till the entire milk is curdled well..
  
• Now place the soft cotton cloth or muslin cloth on the strainer in a bowl. Drain the curdled milk in it. Keep aside the strained liquid. It is whey and is very nutritious. Use it to knead the dough, or make soup, kadhi or dal. Put the strainer with cheese cloth in another bowl and pour 2-3 cup of fresh water on it to remove the sourness of the lemon.
  
• Spread with hands and wash with the fresh water.
  
• Now brings the edges of the cloth together and squeeze out the excess liquid from it. Squeeze tightly and place on the strainer with the bowl and keep it aside for 30 minutes to remove the excess liquid. (In the meantime prepare sugar syrup as shown below in the instructions).
  
• After 30 minutes, open the cloth, the excess liquid is removed and chenna is ready.
  
• Remove the chenna in a flat plate and crumble it with hands
  
• Now with the help of your palm press and knead the chenna for 10 minutes till it is smooth.
  
• Add cornflour. Mix well and knead it till the everything is mixed well.
  
• The kneaded chenna will come together and looks like dough.
  
• Now grease your palms with oil or ghee . (I found oil for easy option to roll and smoothen the balls). Divide the dough into very small portions and roll into 1/2 inch diameter balls . I could make around 42 of them with this size. If you roll into smaller grape size then you could make around 60-65 of them. The balls will rise and become double in size after cooking in sugar syrup so shape accordingly. Also the balls should be crack free and rolled very smooth. Make all the balls and keep it ready.
  

Making Sugar Syrup and soaking chenna round balls (angur)

• Take sugar, cardamom pods, and water in a heavy bottom pot. Mix well.
  
• Keep on high heat to boil. Stir in between.
  
• The mixture will start to boil after 7-8 minutes. Let it boil for further 10 minutes. The sugar syrup is ready.
  
• Now put the prepared balls (angur ) one by one gently into it. (If your pot is small then cook the balls in two batches).
  
• Cover and cook for 15 -20 minutes on high heat or till the balls are doubled in size and cooked properly.
  
• After 15 – 20 minutes , the balls are doubled in size and cooked well.
  
• They are look cooked, double in size and spongy. (Since I have used raw sugar,the colour of the cooked balls in brownish and not pure white. If you want white colour then use white sugar to make sugar syrup. However raw sugar is a much better option towards the refined white sugar if colour is not a problem). Cover the balls in the syrup and keep aside for 2-3 hours. They will absorb the sugar syrup. We can cook the milk or rabri till the angur or balls are soaking in the syrup.
  

Making Flavored Milk and soaking prepared chenna round balls (angur)

• Put water in a heavy and broad bottom pot.
  
• Add milk in it and bring it to boil on medium heat. Stir in between to prevent sticking at the bottom.
  
• The milk will come to a boil after 7-8 minutes. Now put the heat to high and boil the milk stirring in between. Mix well and boil the milk for 10 minutes on high heat stirring in between.
  
• Scrape the cream on the edges of the vessel in between with the spatula. Boil the milk further for 5 minutes on high heat. Add saffron in it.
  
• Once the milk is boiled and reduced to half add sugar. (I have added raw sugar. You can add white sugar and also adjust the amount of sugar as per your taste).
  
• Add cardamom powder . Mix well. Boil for 5 minutes more on high heat stirring the milk and scraping the cream in between. Switch off the heat.
  
• The flavored thickened milk (rabri) for anguri rabri is ready. Keep it aside to cool. Stir with a spoon to avoid the formation of the layer of the cream on it. Cool the milk completely. Keep it in fridge for 2-3 hours to chill.
  
• Take the soaked angur or balls. Remove one from the syrup. Squeeze out the excess syrup from it by pressing between the fingers . Press gently to prevent from breaking. Put in a plate. Similarly remove syrup from the remaining balls.
  
• Arrange the squeezed balls in a deep tray or plate.
  
• Pour the chilled thickened milk or rabri on them. Mix gently so that all the balls are soaked in the milk. Refrigerate further for 3-4 hours so that the balls are soaked and absorb the milk well. The anguri rabri is ready to serve.
  
• Gently remove the angur (balls) in a serving bowl and pour the thickened milk (rabri) over them. Garnish with chopped almonds, pistachio, cashew nuts, saffron, rose petals and serve chilled. Enjoy the anguri rabri refrigerated for 3-4 days in the air tight container.
  
• Enjoy anguri rabri as chilled dessert after food or serve it as a sweet in your thali with roti, subji, dal, rice and salad.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 467IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 1mg