View source for Ras malai

{{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 = [[Indian cuisine|India]], [[Bangladeshi cuisine|Bangladesh]], [[Pakistani cuisine|Pakistan]]
| region           =  [[Bengal]], [[South Asia]]
| course           = [[Dessert]]
| served           = Cold
| main_ingredient  = [[Chhena]], [[malai]], [[saffron]], sugar
| variations       = [[Comilla District|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 [[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 language|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 language|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 &#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==
[[File:Advertisement_of_Rosomalai.jpg|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 Language|Bengali]]: রস মালাই) which derived from the [[Sadhu bhasha|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 language|Hindustani]] word ''[[Malai]]'', ([[Hindi]]: [[wikt:मलाई|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 at [[Tripura (princely state)|Tipperah district]] (now [[Comilla]], [[Bangladesh]]) of the [[Bengal Presidency|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 web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/339113/fame-of-matri-bhander-s-roshmalai-continues|title= Fame of Matri Bhandar's Roshmalai continues}}</ref> Soon in the mid 20th century, Ras Malai became a regionally popular sweets across [[South Asia]] apart from Bengal. Other variation includes Ras Malai of [[Kolkata]] by [[K. C. Das|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 some or all of [[saffron]], [[pistachio]]s, [[rose water]], or [[cardamom]].<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==
[[File:Rasmalai Dessert.jpg|thumb|Ras malai dessert]]
Different types of ras malai can be found in different areas such Rasmanjuri of [[Rangpur division]]. In [[Dhaka Division|Dhaka]] and [[Rangpur Division|Rangpur]], the ras malais are similar in shape to the [[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]] |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]]

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