Serves: 15
Total Calories: 1,357

8 ounces (1 recipe) Paneer Cheese (or store-bought), at room temperature
2 tablespoons Dessert Masala
1/2 cup heavy cream cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped or slivered raw pistachio nut
__ Blanching Raw Nuts, Pistachios ..........Click the Edit tab and select this entry to learn more.
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut

1. Prepare the paneer cheese in advance. Prepare the dessert masala. Then, in a small nonstick saucepan, mix together the cream and pistachios and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until quite thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken further. Then prepare the dessert masala.

2. Place the paneer cheese in a food processor and process until it's smooth and starts to gather into a soft and pliable dough (just before it forms a ball). Divide the dough into 15 equal portions, and shape each portion into a 2-inch patty. Then, with your thumb, press into the center of each patty to make a slight depression. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the pistachio-cream mixture into the depression. Fold the patty in half to cover the filling, pressing it lightly between your clean palms, then roll it into a 2-inch log. Repeat with all the dough portions. Cover and set aside.

3. Place the water, sugar, cardamom pods, and cardamom seeds in a pressure cooker and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the logs. Secure the, lid of the pressure cooker, place it over high heat, and cook until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid of the pressure cooker and simmer over medium heat until the logs are somewhat firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.

4. Transfer each raj-bhog, one by one, to a tray, tilting the tray to one side to allow them to drain, 15 to 20 minutes. Then place them on a large serving platter and sprinkle the dessert masala and .coconut on top. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 15
Total Calories: 1,357
Calories from Fat: 363

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* Desserts
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Almond and Saffron Kheer Pudding
Authentic Curdled Milk Fudge
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Basic White Milk Fudge
Basic White Milk Fudge with Cream
Basic White Milk Fudge with Pistachio Bits
Basmati Rice Custard
Bengali Rice Pudding
Bharti's Milk Cake
Caramelized Milk Balls in Thick Syrup
Caramelized Yogurt
Cellophane Noodles in Cardamom-Saffron Syrup
Corn Custard
Creamy Milk Pudding with Almonds and Saffron
Creamy Milk Pudding with Summer Fruits
Creamy Semolina Pancakes with Thickened Milk
Decadent Carrot Halva with Evaporated Milk and Jaggery
French Roll Bread Pudding
Fresh Fruit in Rose-Flavored Cream
Himachali Nuts
Indian Ice Cream with Almonds
Indian Ice Cream with Mangoes
Indian Ice Cream with Pistachios
Indian Ice Cream with Saffron
Indian Vermicelli Pudding
Layered White and Brown Chocolate Milk Fudge
Lychee Ice Cream Dessert
Mango Ice Cream Dessert
Marzipan Delights
Microwave Milk Pudding
Miniature Multi-Hued Paneer Cheese Balls
Paneer Cheese Kheer Pudding
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Parsi Pressed Rice Flakes Pudding
Parsi Semolina Pudding
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Plantain Halva
Pressure-Cooked Caramel Custard
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Pure Cashew Milk Fudge
Pure Pistachio Fudge
Quick and Easy Indian Ice Cream
Ricotta Cheese Cake
Saffron Curdled Milk Patties
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Saffron and Almond Ice Cream Dessert
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