Gulab Jamun

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Gulab Jamun is a very popular Indian sweet, mostly served during festivities, wedding occasions, other celebrations and also when one’s sweet tooth crave for something.

‘Gulab’ and ‘Jamun’ are hindi words translating to ‘Rose’ and ‘berry’ respectively.

These are berry – sized balls made with milk-solid and dipped in sugar – rose water syrup.

Traditionally, these were made with “khoya” or “dry milk solids” but now a days many alternatives are there as “khoya” is not available easily everywhere. Milk powder is an easy option to go by.

Though am not a very big fan of sweets, I tried this for the very first time during a get together at home and to my surprise it turned out to be yummmyy. So, thought to share with you all my version of the recipe and give your taste buds a sweeeeet treat. 😊

Ingredients:

Milk powder – 1.5 cup (I have used Nido milk powder)

Clarified butter/Ghee – 4 tablespoons levelled

Milk (at room temperature) – 1/2 cup

All-purpose flour -1/2 cup

Baking powder – 1 teaspoon

Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Sugar – 2.5 cups

Water – 4 cups

Cardamom – 3 to 4 pods

Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons

Rose water – 2 teaspoons

Oil for frying

Method:

Preparation of sugar syrup

1. In a wide-mouthed and deep pan, add water, sugar, cardamom pods and lemon juice (to avoid the crystallization of sugar).
2. Stir in between and let the sugar get completely dissolved.
3. Keep cooking it for a while for about 7 to 8 minutes.
4. You can keep the syrup at very low flame so as to keep it warm.
5. Add rose water.

* Water should be enough so as to submerge all the Gulab Jamun, if you find the water to be less, you can always add more.

Preparation of Gulab Jamuns

1. In a bowl, add milk powder, Clarified butter, milk and mix them all together.
2. Take all-purpose flour, add baking powder, cardamom powder in it and with a whisk mix them properly.
3. Now, add the flour mix to the ingredients in 1.
4. Mix them all together, you may find it easier now to use your already washed hands. 😊
5. Now start making balls out of the dough prepared. Size totally depends on how you prefer it to be but smaller the better as it will absorb the syrup and would become almost double in size.
6. Firstly make one ball, there shouldn’t be any cracks in the ball, it should be smooth.

** If the dough is runny, feel free to add more all-purpose flour little by little.

** If the dough is hardened just sprinkle little milk until the desired texture.

Frying the balls

1. Now we will deep fry the Gulab Jamun balls. For this, take a frying pan or pot and fill it up with oil. Oil should be enough to dip in the balls properly.
2. Keep the flame at low, heat the oil but the temperature of the oil should not be high otherwise the balls will turn black from the outside and uncooked from inside. Neither it be too low.
3. Slowly dip in all the balls, if your pot allows or else divide in batches.
4. Do not stir or touch the balls when you put it in the oil, for a while, just stir the oil without touching the balls directly.
5. All the while flame should be at low to medium.
6. When the color of the balls start changing, remember to stir the oil slowly with the spoon.
7. When the color becomes dark brown, take out the balls and put them directly into the sugar syrup.

* Sugar syrup should be warm enough, either keep the syrup at very low flame since the sugar got dissolved (remember to switch off the gas as you put the Jamuns in it) or if it cools down, heat it up a bit.

** Temperature of the syrup should be warm not hot.

** All the Gulab Jamuns should be completely submerged in the syrup. If you feel the syrup to be less, add more water initially.

**the utensil must be deep enough. Or you can divide the syrup into two pots.

8. Keep resting the Gulab Jamuns in the syrup for as long as they become soft and double in size.

** Do not let them sit in the syrup for a very long time, keep a check or else they will absorb excess syrup and become too soft.

** You can make an additional sugar syrup with just 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar and a cup of water. And when you serve, you can add this syrup over the Jamuns.

** I used this way as my first syrup was not sweetened enough so I just let them swell and afterwards I took them out from the syrup and poured the second syrup.

** But the choice is always yours as you like it. 🙂

** You can always adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste buds.

Your Gulab Jamuns are ready to be served and trust me they are worth cooking.

Enjoy!! 😊

Do let me know how it turns out, if you try this recipe!!