GULAB JAMUN RECIPE

Gulab Jamun is undoubtedly the most loved and popular Indian dessert. They are easy to make and are served at parties, weddings and festivals. Try this dish out and you will surely get lots of compliments (:-) only if it turns right).

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 20 to 30 pieces (depending upon size)

Ingredients:

For jamuns:

• 1/3 cup maida (all purpose flour)

• 1 cup mawa/khoya (mashed)

• 3 pinches baking soda

• 1/2 cup water

•   Oil or ghee for deep frying

For sugar syrup:

•   3 cups sugar

• 1 cup water

•   3-4 pods of cardamom (powdered)

•   Few strands of saffron (optional)

•   2 drops of rose water (optional)

Preparation Instructions:

• Mix mashed khoya (mawa), maida (all purpose flour) and baking soda. Add sufficient water to form a stiff dough. Make sure that the dough is not sticky and avoid kneading it too much.
• Make small marble-sized balls from the dough. Keep the balls small as they will expand on frying and soaking in sugar syrup. Don’t make balls too smooth, just make them even in size.
• Heat oil and check by doping a tiny ball (if the ball comes up immediately, oil is ready). Don’t put too many balls together, fry them in batches.
• Fry the jamuns on medium heat till they turn golden brown. If you will fry them on high heat, they will only turn golden brown but will not cook from inside.
• Keep the jamuns aside on an oil absorbing paper and prepare sugar syrup. Pour water in a pan and add sugar, keep it on medium flame till sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to boil.
• Turn off the stove and mix cardamom powder, saffron and rose water (if using) to the syrup. Put fried jamuns into the sugar syrup and let them soak sugar syrup for 2 to 3 hours.
• A perfect dessert to end a delicious main course.

Tips:

• Ready-made gulab jamun mix is also available in supermarket. You can use it instead of khoya, maida and baking soda.
• Baking soda is used to make the jamuns soft. However, more baking soda doesn’t means softer jamuns.
• Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (you can also try your favourite flavour), its tastes really awesome.