Recipe - Mastering The Art Of Crafting The Most Popular Bengali Sweet - Rajbhog For Diwali Celebrations

Celebrate the festival of lights with an exquisite touch of Bengali culinary magic! As Diwali, the festival that illuminates hearts and homes, approaches, immerse yourself in the rich flavors of tradition with our featured recipe – the decadent and immensely popular Bengali sweet, Rajbhog.

Rajbhog, translated as "Royal Offering," is a regal dessert that epitomizes the opulence and indulgence associated with Diwali celebrations. Crafted with precision and love, this sweet treat is a culinary masterpiece that captures the essence of Bengali hospitality and festivity.

This Diwali, embark on a journey through the vibrant streets of Bengal's sweet traditions as we guide you through the art of preparing Rajbhog. From the aromatic blend of fragrant spices to the velvety texture that melts in your mouth, each bite of Rajbhog is a symphony of flavors that reflects the warmth and joy of the festival.

Join us in embracing the spirit of Diwali with the preparation of this Most Popular Bengali Sweet, Rajbhog. Let the kitchen be filled with the delightful aroma, and let your loved ones savor the royal sweetness that adds a touch of splendor to your Diwali festivities.

Ingredients

For Chena

1 ½ Litter Milk
1 tbsp Vinegar/ or 2 Lemon Juice or ½ tsp Tartaric Acid

For Sugar Syrup

4 cup Sugar
½ tsp Saffron Threads
4-5 Whole Green Cardamom
1 tsp Rose Water

Other Ingredients

1 tbsp Arrowroot Powder/1 tsp Fine Semolina
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
¼ tsp Yellow Food Color
2-3 tbsp Coarsely Grinded Mixed Dry Fruit (Almond, Cashew and Pistachios) for Stuffing

Method

For Chena

- First we need to make chena (cottage cheese). So heat the milk into the big vessel and when its start boiling add lemon juice and stir it well.

- Now milk gets curdled and separating the light green water (if your milk not curdling, add little more lemon juice).

- Set the cheese cloth or thin cotton cloth on strainer or colander and pour the curdled milk in it. Now pour cold water on curdle milk and remove or strain the whey.

- Now collect the cheese cloth together with coagulated milk shreds lightly and hang it on tap for 30 mins to drip out the water.

- After 30 mins squeeze the excess water and remove it on plate.

For Sugar Syrup

- Soak saffron threads into the 2 tbsp water and keep aside

- In a deep pan add sugar and 4 cups water and bring it to boil on high flame. When start boiling reduce the flame and add soaked saffron threads, green cardamom and boil it on low flame. Keep the syrup in thin consistency.

Rajbhog process

- Take the prepared chena and knead it till smooth, it will take almost 8-10 minutes to make smooth dough.

- Add yellow food color, arrowroot powder, cardamom powder and knead it again.

- Now divide the dough into the small-small balls, press it little bit with thumb, stuff the dry fruit mixture into that, cover it and make smooth balls.

- While sugar syrup is boiling add prepared balls into the syrup, cover the pan with a lid properly and cook (boil) the balls for 12-15 minutes on medium to high flame.

- Now open the lid, you will notice that the balls become double in size, keep them boiling without lid for another 7-8 minutes on high flame.

- Remove the pan from flame. Now Rajbhog is ready, add rose water and keep aside for 1 hour to cool down completely. Then keep it inside the refrigerator or room temperature and serve as per your choice.