# Ras malai

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_malai
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{{Short description|Dessert from Bengal}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox food
| name             =
| image            = Ras Malai 2.JPG
| caption          =
| alternate_name   = Rossomalai, roshmolai, rasamalei
| national_cuisine = [India](/source/Indian_cuisine), [Bangladesh](/source/Bangladeshi_cuisine), [Pakistan](/source/Pakistani_cuisine)
| region           =  [Bengal](/source/Bengal), South Asia
| course           = Dessert
| served           = Cold
| main_ingredient  = [Chhena](/source/Chhena), [malai](/source/malai), [saffron](/source/saffron), sugar
| variations       = [Comilla](/source/Comilla_District)'s roshomalai,<br /> [Kolkata](/source/Kolkata)'s roshomalai
| calories         =
| other            =
| similar_dish     = [Rasgulla](/source/Rasgulla), [paskha](/source/paskha)
| country          = [Bangladesh](/source/Bangladesh)<br />[India](/source/India) ([West Bengal](/source/West_Bengal))
| cookbook         = Rasmalai
}}
'''Ras malai''', also known as '''rasamalei''' or '''roshmalai''', is a dessert that originated in the [Bengal](/source/Bengal) region of the [Indian subcontinent](/source/Indian_subcontinent).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/the-interesting-tale-of-how-rasmalai-was-made/photostory/101462126.cms |title=The interesting story of the origin of Rasmalai, The Times of India |access-date=2024-04-20}}</ref> The dessert is called ''roshmalai'' in [Bengali](/source/Bengali_language),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ras malai: Traditional Cheese Dessert From West Bengal |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/ras-malai |access-date=2020-09-05 |website=[TasteAtlas](/source/TasteAtlas)}}</ref> ''ras malai'' in [Hindi](/source/Hindi),<ref name="Diner's">{{cite book |last1=Ayto |first1=John |title=The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink |date=2012 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-964024-9 |page=301 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NoicAQAAQBAJ&q=oxford+%22ras+malai%22+Hindi%7CSanskrit&pg=PA301 |accessdate=22 April 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and ''rasa malei'' in [Odia](/source/Odia_language).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ommcomnews.com/odisha-news/odia-treat-for-amit-shah-other-dignitaries-at-naveen-niwas/amp |title=Odia Treat for Amit Shah & Other Dignitaries at Naveen Niwas &#124; |date=28 February 2020}}</ref> It is popular in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last1=Shavelson |first1=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RajrBgAAQBAJ&q=ras+&pg=PT110 |title=Flat Food, Flat Stomach: The Law of Subtraction |date=2015 |publisher=Post Hill Press |isbn=978-1-61868-932-0 |language=en |access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref>

==Origin and etymology==
thumb|A Bengali advertisement of "Rasmalai" in February 1932 by Das grandsons claimed it as their invention
The original term for ras malai is ''rosh malai'' ([Bengali](/source/Bengali_language): রস মালাই), which derived from the [Classical Bengali](/source/Sadhu_bhasha) word "rosho malai" with the same meaning.

The term is a combination of the Bengali word ''rosh'' (Bengali: রস), which means sap, and the [Hindustani](/source/Hindustani_language) word ''[malai](/source/malai)'' ([Hindi](/source/Hindi): मलाई, [Urdu](/source/Urdu): {{Nastaliq|{{nq|ملائی}}}}), which means clotted cream, hence the name: sweet ''sap of clotted cream''.<ref name="Diner's"/>

The sweet allegedly became popular when the Sen brothers opened [Matri Bhandar](/source/Matri_Bhandar) in 1930 and shared their ancestral recipe in [Tipperah district](/source/Tripura_(princely_state)) (now [Comilla](/source/Comilla), [Bangladesh](/source/Bangladesh)) of the [Bengal Province](/source/Bengal_Presidency), which has been granted a [geographical indication](/source/geographical_indication) (GI) in Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geographic Indication – BFTI |url=https://bfti.org.bd/?page_id=732 |access-date=2024-03-26 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/339113/fame-of-matri-bhander-s-roshmalai-continues |title=Fame of Matri Bhandar's Roshmalai continues |work=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref> Soon, in the mid-20th century, ras malai became a regionally popular sweet across South Asia, spreading beyond Bengal. Other variations include Ras Malai of [Kolkata](/source/Kolkata) by [K. C Das](/source/K._C._Das).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indiamarks.com/ras-malai-a-milk-based-dessert-india/ |title=Ras Malai - A Milk based Dessert of India |date=25 June 2012}}</ref>

The Sen brothers of Comilla, operating under the [Matri Bhandar](/source/Matri_Bhandar) brand, claim to be the original maker of the dessert. This is disputed by [K.C. Das Grandsons](/source/K.C._Das_Grandsons), who claim that it was invented by K.C. Das in Kolkata.<ref name="matri">{{cite news |date=6 November 2017 |title=Matri Bhander's roshomalai under siege from copycats |work=Dhaka Tribune |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2017/11/06/comillas-genuine-rasmalai-threat |access-date=29 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="Michael_2011">{{cite book |author=Michael Krondl |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gN6ySQnUnfwC&pg=PA71 |title=Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert |publisher=Chicago Review Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-55652-954-2 |pages=71–72}}</ref>

==Process==
Ras malai consists of flattened balls of [chhena](/source/chhena) soaked in malai. Milk is boiled, and a small amount of [lemon juice](/source/lemon_juice) is added to curdle it. The [whey](/source/whey) is discarded, and the chhena is drained, cooled, and kneaded into a dough. The dough is divided into small balls, and the balls are cooked in a sugar-water mix. The balls are then soaked in milk mixed with [saffron](/source/saffron), [pistachio](/source/pistachio)s, [rose water](/source/rose_water), [cardamom](/source/cardamom), or a combination of those flavourings.<ref name="gt19Oct2017">{{Cite news |title=Rasmalai is simply the dessert to beat |url=https://www.gulf-times.com/story/567991/Rasmalai-is-simply-the-dessert-to-beat |work=Gulf Times |date=19 October 2017 |access-date=2020-10-02}}</ref>

==Variations==
thumb|Ras malai dessert
Different types of ras malai can be found in different areas, such as Rasmanjuri of [Rangpur Division](/source/Rangpur_Division). In [Dhaka](/source/Dhaka_Division) and [Rangpur](/source/Rangpur_Division), the ras malais are similar in shape to the [rasgulla](/source/rasgulla)s,<ref name=bpedia>{{cite book |author=Mahmud Nasir Jahangiri |chapter=Sweetmeats |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Sweetmeats |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |editor=Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal |publisher=[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh](/source/Asiatic_Society_of_Bangladesh) |year=2012 |edition=Second}}</ref> and round discs.

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [Basundi](/source/Basundi)
* [Gulab jamun](/source/Gulab_jamun)
* [Khira sagara](/source/Khira_sagara)
* [Rasabali](/source/Rasabali)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Rasmalai}}
{{Cheese dishes}}{{Bangladeshi dishes}}{{Indian Dishes}}

Category:Bangladeshi desserts
Category:Culture in Comilla
Category:Bengali desserts
Category:Sweets of West Bengal
Category:Indian desserts
Category:Pakistani desserts
Category:Muhajir cuisine
Category:North Indian cuisine
Category:Bengali cuisine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ras malai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_malai) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_malai?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.