Vegan Ras Malai

Instructions

Ras Malai balls:

1. Boil the soy milk in pan. When it's boiling, switch off the heat.
2. Add lemon juice till the soy milk curdles completely.
3. Strain through a mesh sieve to collect the paneer.
4. Rinse it with cold water.
5. Leave it in the strainer for 10-15 minutes. Let it drain. It should not be dry, not too wet but moist.
6. Place it in a bowl, add cornflour and mash and knead till it’s smooth, crumb and grain free.
7. Once it is smooth, shape small balls or discs out of it.

Syrup:

1. In a pan boil water with sugar and cardamom pods.
2. Drop the balls in boiling sugar syrup and cook for 10 minutes. 
3. Turn off the heat let the balls cool in the syrup while you make the ras.

Ras:

1. Boil the non-dairy milk and cream in a pan.
2. Take 2 tbsp hot milk from the pan in a small cup. Add crushed saffron strands, stir and keep aside.
3. Lower the flame and simmer the milk and continue to simmer. Stir frequently.
4. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
5. Add cardamom powder, the almonds and pistachios. Reserve a few almonds and pistachios for garnishing.
6. Mix in the saffron milk.
7. Keep simmering  and stirring on low heat for 10 minutes.
8. Close the heat and mix in the kewra or rosewater if you use any.
9. Keep the milk aside util it cools down but still warm.

Ras Malai:

1. Pour the warm milk (ras) in a container.
2. Take out gently the Ras Malai balls from the sugar syrup and place them in the warm milk.
3. Chill them in the fridge at least for 4-5 hours.
4. For serving garnish with chopped almonds,  pistachios and saffron strands.