CHENA MOHANBHOG

Mohanbhog is a popular Bengali sweet, it is especially prepared for the Janmashtami celebration. There are two types of Mohanbhogs. One is prepared from semolina and other is prepared from chena ( paneer ). Today, I have prepared the Chena Mohanbhog with little change from the traditional recipe.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1. 30 hours
Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients:
For Rabdi:
1liter milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp saffron (soaked)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
For Chena mohanbhog:
1 liter milk
1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice
1 tsp purpose flour
For sugar syrup:
1 cup sugar
2-3 green cardamom
4 cups water
1 tsp roughly chopped pistachio

Method:

1. Heat one liter of milk in a thick bottom pan for rabdi. After one boil turn the flame on low and let it simmer. Stir and scrap sides occasionally. Also heat the milk for making chena in other pan. Once it comes to boil turn off the heat and after a couple of minutes add vinegar / lemon juice diluted in two tbsp of water. Stir it so that the milk starts curdling. Once the milk is curdled completely, transfer it to muslin cloth lined colander.
2. Now take this chena in a plate and start kneading it with the heal of your palm for 5-7 minutes.
3. Then add all purpose flour and again knead it for 8-10 minutes until the chena become smooth.
4. Once the chena is ready, pinch a small part of it and make rounds. It shold be crack free. Then press it from the centre with thumb. Continue with rest of the chena.
5. For sugar syrup, add water in one broad pan and let it boil.
6. Crush cardamoms and add them into the sugar syrup.
7. Once sugar melts completely and the sugar syrup starts boiling, carefully add the prepared mohanbhog.
8. Cover it and let them cook for 10 -15 minutes till they turn double in size. Then turn off the flame and let it rest covered for 15 minutes.
9. Our rabdi is now near to be ready. Add sugar , soaked saffron and cardamom powder into it. Mix and cook until the sugar melts properly and the rabdi turns thick enough. Then turn off the heat.
10. After 15 minutes, remove chenamohan bhog from the sugar syrup and lightly press it so excess sugar syrup is discarded.
11. Now arrange chena mohanbhog in a plate. Add the rabdi on the top cavity. Sprinkle pistachio and enjoy.
    Note:
12. You can roll mohanbhog in grated khoya after removing from sugar syrup.
13. You can add a pinch of baking powder while kneading chena.
14. You can add khoya in rabdi.