{{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, Bangladesh, Pakistan | region = Bengal, South Asia | course = Dessert | served = Cold | main_ingredient = Chhena, malai, saffron, sugar | variations = Comilla's roshomalai,<br /> Kolkata's roshomalai | calories = | other = | similar_dish = Rasgulla, paskha | country = Bangladesh<br />India (West Bengal) | cookbook = Rasmalai }} '''Ras malai''', also known as '''rasamalei''' or '''roshmalai''', is a dessert that originated in the Bengal region of the 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,<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}}</ref> ''ras malai'' in 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.<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 | |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: রস মালাই), which derived from the Classical Bengali 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 word ''malai'' (Hindi: मलाई, 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 in 1930 and shared their ancestral recipe in Tipperah district (now Comilla, Bangladesh) of the Bengal Province, which has been granted a 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 by 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 brand, claim to be the original maker of the dessert. This is disputed by 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 soaked in malai. Milk is boiled, and a small amount of lemon juice is added to curdle it. The 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, pistachios, rose water, 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. In Dhaka and Rangpur, the ras malais are similar in shape to the rasgullas,<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 |year=2012 |edition=Second}}</ref> and round discs.
==See also== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * Basundi * Gulab jamun * Khira sagara * 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