Mawa Dumplings in Sweetened Milk
A luxurious historical dessert featuring large, golden-fried dumplings made from fresh milk solids, served in a rich, aromatic milk sauce. This unique recipe combines the texture of fried dumplings with the creamy sweetness of 'dudhpak' (thickened milk), infused with a complex bouquet of vanilla, raspberry, rose, and nutmeg. Similar to a fusion of Gulab Jamun and Ras Malai, these tender dumplings soak up the flavorful sauce for a truly indulgent treat.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Whole milk (for dumplings) (Originally '1.5 Sher'. Used to make the chenna/mawa.)
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice (Originally '6 small spoons'. Used to curdle the milk.)
- 2 tablespoons Ghee (for kneading) (Originally '6 small spoons'. Mixed into the milk solids.)
- 2 cups Ghee (for frying) (Quantity estimated for deep frying. Originally 'as needed'.)
- 9 cups Whole milk (for sauce) (Originally 'remaining milk' (calculated from total 6 Sher minus 1.5 Sher used for dumplings).)
- 1 cup Granulated sugar (Quantity estimated (original text unclear/typo). Adjust to taste.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (Crushed.)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Raspberry extract (Optional. If unavailable, increase vanilla.)
- 7 drops Almond extract (Can substitute with finely ground almonds.)
- 4 drops Rose extract (Originally 'Gulab essence'.)
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Instructions
- 1In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring 3 cups of milk to a boil. Once boiling, add the lemon juice and stir until the milk curdles completely and the whey separates. Remove from heat.
- 2Pour the curdled milk into a clean cloth (muslin or cheesecloth). Tie it up and hang it to drain all the water. Allow it to hang until the solids are dry and resemble mawa (khoya).
- 3Take the dried milk solids and mash them well to remove graininess. Mix in 2 tablespoons of ghee. Knead until smooth and divide into 3 large, smooth balls (dumplings).
- 4Heat ghee in a kadhai or deep pan. Fry the dumplings over low heat (originally 'on embers') until they turn a light almond (golden brown) color. Remove and set aside in a dish.
- 5In a separate pan, bring the remaining 9 cups of milk to a boil. Simmer and stir continuously until it thickens to the consistency of dudhpak (reduced milk). Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
- 6Remove the thickened milk from heat. Stir in the crushed nutmeg, vanilla extract, raspberry extract, almond extract, and rose extract. Pour the hot, flavored milk over the fried dumplings. Serve warm or chilled.
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