Gulab Jamun

Most Popular Indian sweet , though not that popular in Kerala , we usually make it with the mix available in any Indian store , then its perfectly soft and yummy...but then I wanted to make it from scratch and the first time I made it , I was disappointed as some one warned me not to make it again in this house :(
Then I was reminded of this quote by the same person....

Everything was hard , that Gulab Jamun I made that day and also hard to accept the fact ;) Just Kidding :) :)
Anyways happy that this time it came out nice and soft...
Good that I thought to give it a try once again.

Its because Rose water is an essential ingredient in this sweet that its named Gulab Jamun , as Gulab in Hindi means Rose and Jamun is a Grape like berry fruit seen in India.

Though rose water is an essential ingredient , I didn't have it :( 

Ingredients  

Milk powder - 1 cup
All purpose Flour / Maida - 3 Tbsp
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Warm Milk - 1/2 cup Approx (Use Full fat milk for best results)
Ghee / or use melted Butter - 2 Tbsp
Vegetable oil - for frying

For the Sugar Syrup.

Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Water -  3 cups
Rose water - 1 tsp (I didn't use it)

Method

* Heat sugar and water to make the syrup , the water absorbs all sugar and starts to thicken, boil it till 2 thread forms when pressed between two fingers. Add then Cardamom Powder and Rose syrup (if using)
 (be careful while doing the thread test as it will be very hot , basically it should be thick syrup)

* Mix milk powder , flour , baking powder and slowly add in the warm milk to make it a semi soft dough , it shouldn't be hard nor should be too soft.

* Coat the dough with the ghee or melted butter and keep it covered for some time (20 minutes)

*Make small  ball's with this dough (walnut size) , since these ball's are going to expand and become bigger in size , the ball's should be small.

*Nicely shape'em within your palms after greasing your palm with some ghee. (If there are cracks , it may break while frying)

*Fry'em till they look brown, keep in low heat while frying or else the inner part may not get cooked.

*Immerse the fried balls in to the sugar syrup and keep them in the sugar syrup for at least 45 minutes.

* After an hour , Gulab Jamun absorbs all sugar syrup and becomes soft and sweet & its ready to serve.

Super sweet Indian dessert  Gulab Jamun

I forgot to add a few drops of lime juice to the sugar syrup , though its not traditionally used in this dessert , its said that if added to the sugar syrup , prevents  them from crystallizing.

Notes :
         Do not add more flour to dough , if the dough is more soft and its hard to shape'em , use more milk powder to help shape it.
         Do add a few drops of lime juice to the sugar syrup to prevent'em from crystallizing.



Cheers
TN