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Greetings from India. I am just back from home after enjoying the gorgeous and warm weather of Mumbai. It is amazing to see how Mumbai, one of the busiest cosmopolitan still holds
its old age culture of festivals, food, and of course life in Mumbai can
never be complete without the street food. Starting from Bhel Puri, Pani Puri and Ragda Pattice and
lassis. Oh what a paradise of food is Mumbai.
Among-st these is Gulab Jamun, a
must eat traditional Indian dessert. These succulent and spongy dumplings carefully
blended from a combination of flour, butter and milk fats, smothered in a
rose water syrup with the tempting aroma of cardamons with a beautiful and
delicate texture. oh such a royal delicacy. You can eat it hot or cold, serve
it as a dessert for parties or get together or simply indulge yourself in. This
is such a sinfully wicked gift from Mumbai.
My dad not very easy to please when it comes to food, we carefully buy
such delicacies from the most noted ‘Halwai’ from Mumbai and then we have our
usual tantrums of not eating Gulab Jamuns with the fear of gaining those extra
calories. But this time it was a complete change in the situation. Yes you guessed it right! my
dad gave a seal of approval for this dish and there were none left only after a
few minutes when the Gulab Jamuns were still warm. I have recently started following Sala Kanan
from Veggie Belly and happened to find this amazing recipe for Gulab Jamuns, so
easy to make but so delicious, we will now never go to any of those specialist ‘Halwai’.
For sugar syrup
2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup water
4 cardamom seeds, powdered in a mortar and pestle
A drop of rose essence, optional
A small pinch of saffron threads, optional
For the jamuns
1 cup unsweetened milk powder or dry milk (not coffee creamer)
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons flour
A pinch of salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup unsweetened milk powder or dry milk (not coffee creamer)
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons flour
A pinch of salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1/3 cup whole milk
Place the sugar, water and cardamom powder in
a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and watch for the sugar to dissolve. Once its
dissolved, boil for another minute. Turn off heat and add rose essence and or
saffron, if using. Set the syrup aside.
Now make the Jamuns. In a mixing bowl, add milk powder or dry
milk, baking soda, flour and salt. Mix well.
Then add butter and vinegar. Add milk a little at a time and mix
till it forms dough. You may not need all of the milk.
When a soft, sticky dough forms, stop adding milk. Cover and let
the dough stand for about 20 minutes.
After resting, the dough will be less sticky, airy and a little
firmer. If its too lose, sprinkle a little flour. If its too dry, add a little
milk.
Knead the dough a few times.
Dip your fingers in oil or ghee, divide the dough into 24 even
pieces and roll them into balls. Dip your fingers in oil as and when needed to
avoid sticking.
Heat enough oil to deep fry in a saucepan pan on medium-low
heat. Drop a small pinch of the dough in the oil to test the temperature. The
dough should sink to the bottom and then slowly rise to the top. If it sits in
the bottom of the oil without bubbling, the oil is not hot enough. If the dough
rises and browns too quickly, the oil is too hot.
Add the jamun balls a few at a time and fry in oil on medium-low
heat. Stir and turn the jamuns frequently so they brown evenly.
When brown, remove from oil using a slotted spoon and drain on
several layers of paper towels.
Repeat with all the dough. Let fried jamuns cool.
Add the jamuns to the sugar syrup. Stir gently so the jamuns are
well coated in syrup.
Cover and let the gulab jamuns soak in the syrup for atleast an
hour before serving. Gulab jamuns will keep for several days at room
temperature
