“Is Rasgoola Meant To Be A ‘Poor Man’s’ Version Of Gulab Jamun?

[suchandra 1]

Rasgoola

posted by Kurma prabhu Feb 9 2008

 

If I have a favourite sweet, it would have to be rasgoola. Juicy, firm yet spongy, squeaky confections made from fresh panir cheese simmered in sugar syrup - irresistible!

I was thinking fondly of the giant rasgoola obtainable as maha-prasadam in Sri Mayapur, West Bengal (home of the rasgoola) when I received this letter the other day.

 

 

Vicki from somewhere in Australia wrote:

http://connect.sailusfood.com/2008/02/09/rasgoola/

 

“Is rasgoola meant to be a ‘poor man’s’ version of gulab jamun

(which is a brilliant dish)? I recently made rasagoolas for the first time and

expected them to be like gulab jamun, but was somewhat disappointed due to the very unstable nature of the mix in the syrup. What’s your opinion?”

 

 

 

 

My reply:

Hi Vicki, thanks for your letter. On the contrary, rasagoola are a high-class Bengali sweet that are, in my opinion, one of the best examples of the amazing things that one can do with fresh panir cheese. Panir is in fact rather expensive in India, so they are as expensive if not more expensive than gulab jamuns. However they are rather tricky to make.

Once you have tasted real rasgoola in Bengal, none other will satisfy. They should be spongy, firm and soft at the same time, and should squeak when eaten, exploding their juices in the mouth. Better than gulab jamuns, in my opinion.

 

 

Here’s a wonderful rasgoola recipe, by world-famous author and chef Yamuna Devi.

» Read the rest of the story by Kurma

Other posts by Kurma

[indulekhadasi 0]

Even though I am a Bengali I am not into sweets much even Rasagoola and Gulabjamun. I think the only sweet I like a little bit is Kheer Mohans.

[zjj 1]

Rich or poor, I don't like rasgoolas but I love Gulab Jamun. I don't like the plasticy texture of rasgoolas and often think about the lovely saag panir that could have been made if someone hadn't used the panir in the rasgoolas, hehe. I much prefer the softness of gulab jamun and how it melts in the mouth, hmmmm.

 

Haribol!

 

Jai

[indulekhadasi 0]

 

Rich or poor, I don't like rasgoolas but I love Gulab Jamun. I don't like the plasticy texture of rasgoolas and often think about the lovely saag panir that could have been made if someone hadn't used the panir in the rasgoolas, hehe. I much prefer the softness of gulab jamun and how it melts in the mouth, hmmmm.

 

Haribol!

 

Jai

 

You are right zjj. Gulabjamuns are a thousand times better. But Kheer Mohans are a thousand times better than gulabjamuns in my opinion.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 1]

Unfortunately most people even in India never get to taste the real rasagulas from Calcutta. Only in Calcutta will you find the special super soft giant rasagulas that will amaze you. All the other rasagulas in India and the west are quite rubbery and lousy. The difference is so drastic that it can't really be explained. I didn't like rasagulas at all till I had one in Calcutta. And I'm not talking about the K.C. Das canned rasagulas. Those are terrible.

[bhaktajan 0]

Let me tell you a sweet story that made me pine-for and appreciate anew how fortunate we are and how thankfull we are to Srila Prabhupada for developing our refined palate:

 

.............................................................................................

One time, when I was alone in New York City. I looked through a window and saw my beloved's poor cousins--filled with such lust was I.

 

I pursued my intentions with unrestricted enthusiam and--order two of each famous sweet--I sat down in that dingy dark corner of east 27th St and Lexington Ave ready to luxuriate in Maharajic-like debauchery, as I filled my lips with the amrit I had only been able to dream was possible since looking through the window--I tasted the ambrosia-... uuugh, yuck, spit-this-out! What in the hell is this? ... those 'Swahini Sweets' from jackson Heights Queens have made me gag!! These factory made sweets from Jackson Heights Queens are the worst.

 

At that time, while hiding my disgust from the nice store merchants' smiling glances--I realized that these Indian Imigrants thought I was a man of the world to come to their sweets store to sit down and order their fare, yet I felt sorry that they themselves knew nothing about gourmet sweets lest they would offer such third class preparations. Or did I just then realize that such Jackson Heights Queens Sweets would never be good enough for me nor my friends. I cried inside for my little plate of sweets that I planned to discard in the trash as soon as I left the store. Such sweet tears.

[indulekhadasi 0]

 

Unfortunately most people even in India never get to taste the real rasagulas from Calcutta. Only in Calcutta will you find the special super soft giant rasagulas that will amaze you. All the other rasagulas in India and the west are quite rubbery and lousy. The difference is so drastic that it can't really be explained. I didn't like rasagulas at all till I had one in Calcutta. And I'm not talking about the K.C. Das canned rasagulas. Those are terrible.

 

Wow, you are really well informed.

Better than rasagoolas are shar bhajas. We ate them all day in Mayapur.

Bengali sweets are the best in my opinion but even being a Bengali I am not too excited about them. Except for Kheer Mohans. I can never say no to those.

[zjj 1]

My favourite sweets are gulab jamun and shrikand. So rich and yummy!

 

Indulekhadasi Mataji, what are kheer mohans? I've Gujarati and have never heard of them.

 

Jai

[indulekhadasi 0]

 

My favourite sweets are gulab jamun and shrikand. So rich and yummy!

 

Indulekhadasi Mataji, what are kheer mohans? I've Gujarati and have never heard of them.

 

Jai

 

Kheer Mohans are a very rare bengali sweet.

They are basically gulab jamuns but inside is kheer. Extremely yummy!

Sometimes they are actually broken in halfs so you can taste the kheer on top and the gulab jamun portion on the bottom. Here is a picture:

 

[zjj 1]

 

Kheer Mohans are a very rare bengali sweet.

They are basically gulab jamuns but inside is kheer. Extremely yummy!

Sometimes they are actually broken in halfs so you can taste the kheer on top and the gulab jamun portion on the bottom. Here is a picture:

 

 

Hari Haribol!

 

Kheer mohans sound lovely! I'm drooling as we speak.

 

Jai

[Shivaduta 0]

liking or not liking gulabjamuns and rasgullas is a mater of personal taste and upbringing... but as far as my knowlege goes one thing is certain... a rasgulla is made entirely from milk-paneer where as a gulabjamun is made from a flour and mawa mix... so if there is the question of a poor man version of anything i would opt that the maida mawa mix will be the poor man version and the milk-paneer will be the rich man version ... by the way i have never tasted a kheer mohun ...but with all the appriciation i have read am looking forward to be tasting one soon

[indulekhadasi 0]

When you ever get a chance to eat a kheer mohan tell me how you like them.

[Sunds 1]

No they are two different sweets. If you ask me, I would prefer Rasgolas to Gulab Jamuns. So ideally Gulab Jamun has to be poor mans Rasgola.

[indulekhadasi 0]

Ok, but we poor people enjoy our sweet!

[srikanthdk71 0]

The thread is Irrelevent. Makes sense in a cooking class forum. Kindly try and maintiain the spirit of the Forum.

[suchandra 1]

 

The thread is Irrelevent. Makes sense in a cooking class forum. Kindly try and maintiain the spirit of the Forum.

 

Thanks Srikant, imortant point, how can we maintain the spirit of the forum? Btw do you know a good srikant recipe?

[indulekhadasi 0]

Suchandra prabhuji you are hilarious. I can't stop laughing.

[bhaktajan 0]

Oh, you took the [srikhan] thought right out of my mouth.

 

.............................................................

1) Seriously, I need help! Can some tell me definitively how to make Dohkla?

 

PS: I know about Ghits prepakage stuff --too salty.

 

2) Seriously, I need help! Can some tell me definitively how to make that tapioca-pearl prep used as the basis of a subji for ekadasi's substitution for rice?