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Indian

Odia Rasabali

Odia rasabali is made with shallow fried chhena patties soaked in cardamom-scented reduced milk.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Odia Rasabali

45 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
None
Add to your week

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No prep-ahead step is needed, but let the fried paneer patties soak in sweet reduced milk before serving.

Method

  1. In a wide heavy-bottomed pan, bring the full fat milk to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until it reduces to slightly more than half its original volume, stirring occasionally.

  2. While the milk reduces, put the fresh paneer or chhena on a large plate. Knead with the heel of your palm for 5-7 minutes until smooth, soft and lump-free.

    5–7 min

  3. Add the whole wheat flour, the designated cardamom powder, and the dough-designated sugar portion to the kneaded paneer. Mix well to form a soft dough.

  4. Divide the dough into small lime-sized balls. Flatten each ball lightly between your palms to make small disc-shaped patties.

  5. Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat. Gently slide the flattened paneer patties into the warm ghee and deep fry until they turn reddish-brown on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

  6. Add the remaining sugar and cardamom powder to the boiling reduced milk. Stir well until the sugar dissolves.

  7. Gently drop the fried paneer patties into the simmering milk. Turn off the heat immediately.

  8. Cover the pan and let the patties soak in the sweet milk for at least 2 hours before serving.

    2 hr

How to tell it's done

The paneer discs should be reddish brown, spongy and soaked through with thick sweet milk.

Getting it right

Tip

Knead the chhena until smooth and fry on medium heat. Cracked patties can break when they go into the milk.

What to serve it with

Serve warm or at room temperature with chopped nuts and extra thickened milk spooned over.

Common mistakes

The patties disintegrate in the milk.
Add fried patties to simmering milk and take the pan off the heat. Boiling them hard can break the chhena.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate rasabali covered for up to 3 days. Reheat gently or serve chilled; freezing is not recommended.