Gulab Jamuns are an all-time favourite. Nothing can beat the taste of well-made Gulab Jamuns. We have a long tradition of making Gulab Jamuns and Petha at Diwali time. Even after the festival is over, we continue to savour both the sweets. I hope you enjoy a sweet and happy Diwali with Gulab Jamuns. My next recipe would be Petha.
HAPPY DIWALI
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hr
Total time: 1hr 10 min
Serves - 4
Ingredients for Gulab Jamun:
1. Khoya- 400gm
2. Arrowroot or refined flour – 50 to 60gm
3. Sugar – 800 gm
4. Water – 2 cups
5. Green cardamoms – 4-5
6. A pinch of Kesar
7. Milk - ¼ cup
8. Ghee for frying
How to make Gulab Jamun:
1. Grate all the khoya with a grater.
2. Add arrowroot powder to the khoya.
3. Add 2-3 tbsp water to the mixture. Knead the khoya into a firm dough.
4. Now, cover the kneaded dough with a cloth. Put it aside.
5. Meanwhile, make sugar syrup by mixing sugar and water and placing it over a low flame. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Make sure the syrup does not boil over.
6. Increase the heat once the sugar dissolves, and then bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Make a mixture of milk and water in a cup. Add it to the sugar syrup. Continue boiling the syrup over a high flame, without stirring.
8. Skim off any scum that collects on the sides of the pan.
9. Cook till the syrup thickens a bit. Take a spoonful of the syrup and cool it. Dip your thumb and finger in the syrup. Your finger and thumb should feel sticky when you put them together.
10. Take the syrup off the stove and cool for at least half an hour. Strain through a fine nylon sieve or muslin cloth.
11. Add cardamom powder and saffron and bring the syrup to a boil again.
12. Now place a kadhai on the gas and add ghee for frying.
13. Shape the dough into marble sized balls (Jamuns) while the ghee boils. The balls should be smooth and creaseless and round or oblong in shape.
14. Now, put the balls, one by one, in the kadhai. Put the flame on medium heat. Never fry on high heat otherwise Jamuns will burn from outside and remain uncooked inside.
15. Don’t touch the Jamuns with a karchi (ladle). Hold the kadhai with a cloth and shake gently, so that the Jamuns do not stick to the kadhai.
16. Don’t put too many Gulab Jamuns together in the kadhai otherwise they will stick to each other.
17. Turn the Gulab Jamuns softly with a spoon after they start floating on the ghee, so that they cook evenly from all sides.
18. Fry the Jamuns till they become golden brown in colour.
19. Now remove the Gulab Jamuns from the kadhai and put them in the sugar syrup.
20. Let the Jamuns soak for at least half an hour before serving.
Tips:
1. Always use fresh khoya.
2. You can stuff dry fruits inside Jamun to make it more delicious.
3. Arrowroot is a binding agent so if the jamuns break while frying, add a teaspoonful of arrowroot powder in the mixture.
4. If you don’t find arrowroot powder you can use maida instead of arrowroot.
5. Finally, grease your hands with ghee to make crack free Gulab Jamun.
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