Rasgulla, the juice-dripping sweet that Bengalis swear by

Till now, I knew that the delicious rasgulla was a creation of Bengalis and the credit went to one K C Das who invented these wonderful balls of delight. Its only ingredient was chhana or cottage cheese that had to be cooked in a syrup of sugar. But, Orissa wants to take the credit for being its creator!!
Whatever it may be, creating rasgulla may sound simple but it requires plenty of experience to have the correct density of the syrup and the proper kneading of the chhana. It is mass produced in hundreds in a huge vessel over a coal fire. Nowadays, with the introduction of new and modern gadgets, the equipment have been modified but the process remains unchanged.
The rasgulla are usually an inch in diameter but there are the larger ones that go by the name of Raj-bhog (feast for the King). Here, a stuffing is introduced in the center of the white ball – the stuffing is usually of a paste of almond, pistachio with a small size kishmish in each Raj-bhog. And, the size is bigger.
Yet another variety is the kamala-bhog – this has a tinge of orange color with the essence of orange added in the dough in addition to the orange color.

And, one cannot overlook the smaller size rasgullas that go to create another Bengali favorite – the rasomalai. The rasgullas used in this are really small ones and, the rasomalai is prepared by adding the small ones in a mixture of kheer. This kheer is nothing but milk that is boiled to reduce the volume – as it keeps boiling, it thickens and, there is a new taste that is totally unlike milk. When the tiny rasgullas keep boiling in this kheer, the tiny balls swell and melt when popped in the mouth. One can easily relish a dozen of these tiny rasgullas in the rasomalai.
The popularity of rasgulla can be gauged from the fact that during marriages, there used to be friendly competition among the guests – who can eat how many. Those traditions have vanished because people have become health conscious. Moreover, the serving is done by caterers and, they will serve only as per the preplanned menu. Extra helpings are taboo.
However, all of a sudden, news have emerged that the origin of this beloved rasgulla is not in Bengal but in neighboring Orissa.
Director of K C Das Private Ltd, Sanjoy Das, the fifth generation descendant of Navin Chandra Das family, has clarified that it was the Das family who had created rasgulla made from cottage cheese and dipped in a sugary syrup. But, Orissa claims that the rasgulla originated from the Jagannath Temple in Puri – it had been a part of the religious rituals since the 12th century.
Obviously, experts have to dig up evidence to decide the winner in this battle – till the final decision is known, let us enjoy the rasgulla in all its glory. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


Some more interesting 'must reads'-

Anaconda in a pothole of Bengaluru to galvanize the authorities to act

Cochin airport goes ecofriendly – to become only solar powered airport in the world

V Festival in Chelmsford could face tornadoes, hail and thunderstorms


Ice Cube would love to have dinner with Barack Obama once he leaves White House

Indian names of Pallavi Sharda and Dev Patel in Hollywood film ‘Lion’

Hugh Jackman of Wolverine fame could portray the role of Greek hero Odysseus


White House discloses – 2nd in command of ISIS killed in drone strike in Mosul

Bomb blast outside temple of Lord Brahma in Bangkok leaves at least 27 dead

Scuba diver smuggles cocaine across US-Mexico border via underwater tunnel


Indian kitchens must have ‘besan’

The lost world of ‘kabiraji cutlets’

Growing up days – I begin to go to the daily market

Geetanjali Express leaves Howrah Station minus my wife and me

It happened a couple of years back and my wife was at the receiving end.,br> She comes from a family that had known cases of cardiac problems – her father suffered a severe stroke while traveling in a bus in Kolkata and expired before any help could arrive. Her elder brother also suffered a stroke while at work and survived because of immediate hospitalization. He now wears a pacemaker. Therefore, it was but natural that my wife also be a probable victim due to the hereditary factor.
She did have some problems related to the heart and was taking regular medicines for blood pressure as well as the cardiac problems. There was an instance when she had lost consciousness as we waited in the hospital for meeting the doctor. She had undergone a full checkup and certified as fit.

Anyway, in 2013, we had made a program to spend some time in Kolkata during the Durga Pujas. We also planned to visit Puri and had booked train tickets and hotel reservation in the seaside resort. It was the year when Orissa was hit by Cyclone Phailin followed by floods and disaster beyond imagination.
Our stay in Kolkata during the Durga Pujas was full of fun as was the trip to Orissa.
Finally, it was time to return and, on the appointed day, we arrived at Howrah Station to board the Geetanjali Express. My brother-in-law had come to see us off and, as the train was entering the platform, disaster struck – my wife lost her balance and, literally collapsed. I had to hld on to her and, gradually lowered her on the bench. My brother-in-law immediately summoned his driver and, instead of boarding the train, we got into his car and sped to the hospital.
The train left without my wife and me.
The doctor in the Emergency Ward carried out a few preliminary tests and advised immediate hospitalization because my wife’s pulse rate was very low. My brother-in-law discussed with his family physician who suggested that my wife be put on Holter monitoring for 24-hours. (to be continued …)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Bogus tour operator charged out-of-towners $200 each way for a trip that is free

WHO says cigarette smuggling into India has increased fourfold

Marvels of technology – robotic cheetah created by MIT, it can jump over obstacles

Noise pollution leads to obesity – those living near airports or busy streets are affected

Giant barrel jellyfish 5-ft long, 3-ft diameter and weighing 5-stone each found off Dorset coast

ICU beckons me for a second time

Marriages are made in Heaven

Teen, instigated by his mother, bludgeons a Delhi bus driver to death in broad daylight

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Publishing business – an escape route from the dull routine

Three of us had taken the initiative to start printing of magazines because we loved writing and wanted to encourage other like-minded Bengalis from all over the country to become a part of our community. We wanted to break the on-going tradition that only the well-connected can see their name in print. My friend and I have had not-too happy experiences with editors of Bengali magazines based in Kolkata – they all had their own groups and it was next to impossible for others to get a toehold in their well protected domain.

This was the main reason for us to move away from the beaten track and do something that would appeal to the masses. Of course, for me, there was another reason – I was gradually getting disillusioned with my job. I wanted an escape route from the dull routine. No, there was no fear of losing my job but, the nature of work had become boring. And, added to that was the denial of my rightful promotion for three years continuously. Every year, my boss would put up some reason or the other and smile an apology of sorts.
The worst part was that he also was a Bengali. That really hurt.
When I joined HAL Nashik, the General Manager was a Malayalee and, the majority of work force was from Kerala. After him, the General Manager was a Punjabi – and people from the northern states increased. Then came the Marathi regime with Marathis getting preference. In between there was a General Manager from UP – obviously, people from those areas got benefits. And then there was the Orissa reign with Oriyas getting into the limelight.
But, when it came to Bengalis, due to some unknown reason, they hesitated to back their own men – and, I had become a victim of my Bengali boss’s indecision. (to be continued …)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub

British Army wants computer whizzkids to counter the growing menace of ISIS propaganda

IPL8 – Mumbai Indians break the jinx with first win against Royal Challengers Bangalore

Pattern of death changing in India – heart and lung related diseases are top killers

Stray dogs attend funeral of Mexican woman who fed them

Health tips – lose weight without dieting

Anchovies can boost good cholesterol and reduce risk factors of the heart

Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Violence and atrocities