Chhanar Jilapi (Bengali Style Cottage Cheese Jalebi)

Ingredients

• 1 litre full fat milk
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp maida (all purpose flour)
• 1 tbsp sooji (samolina)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 pinch salt
• 1 pinch saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
• 2 cup sugar
• 3.5 cup water
• As needed oil or ghee for deep frying (you can mix both in equal proportion)

Steps

1. Making Chhana (cottage cheese): In a pan, heat the milk and bring it to boil. Turn off the flame.
2. Immediately, add lime juice and mix. You will observe that water starts separating from the fat. Your Chhana (cottage cheese) is done. Let it cool down.
3. Drain the water to get the chhana. Pour the chhana on a cotton cloth and squeeze to drain the excess water.
4. To completely drain the water away, tie the cloth and hand for atleast 1 hour.
5. Making Chhanae Jilapi: Take the chhana in a mixing bowl and knead to a soft and smooth dough.
6. Now, add maida, baking powder, sooji, salt and the saffron soaked milk. Knead the entire thing properly for 10-15 minutes to a soft and smooth dough. Once it does not stick to your hand, the dough is ready.
7. Remember, kneading is the key. The more you knead, the more soft and smooth your jilapi will be.
8. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan, heat water and add sugar. Heat it constantly in high flame until the sugar gets dissolved, water gets reduced and the syrup comes to 1 string.
10. Once the syrup is done, keep it aside and let it cool down a little bit.
11. Now, take the chhana dough and cut small balls from it. The given quantity of ingredients should give you 7-8 pieces of jilapi.
12. With the help of your palm, roll out long ropes out of the chhana balls and swirl them in circular jilapi (jalebi) pattern.
13. Now, heat oil ghee (or both mixed together) in a pan and deep fry the jilapis until they turn reddish brown.
14. Pour the hot jilapis immediately to the syrup once they are fried.
15. Soak the jilapis in syrup for atleast and hour or so. Your Chhanar Jilapi is ready to be served.