(Pooja Dubey, Intern Journalist) Indian festivals are not only an extension of beliefs in holy legends and ceremonial rituals but also of undying faith, emotions, and of course a melange of good food. I have shared the recipe of gulab jamun that can be made during the Raksha Bandhan festival and for the rakhi ritual. This recipe is very easy and can be made easily even for the first time.
Gulab Jamun is a very popular Indian sweet. There a few versions of making it either with khoya, milk powder, bread, or sweet potatoes. It is a favorite Indian sweet for many folks.
- Take 1 cup of khoya or mawa (200 grams) in a bowl. Soft khoya also is known as ‘daap ka khoya’ or ‘chikna khoya’ is used for making gulab jamun. This is a soft khoya, so it mashes and kneads very well. Mash it very well. There should be no lumps or small bits or pieces in the khoya. You can also grate and then mash the khoya. Do not mash too much. Just mash and proceed with the next step.
2. Then add ¾ cup or 100 grams grated paneer, fine Rava (semolina), 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder to the mashed khoya. There should be no lumps in both the mawa and paneer. If there are lumps, then the texture of the gulab jamun is not even and smooth. The bits and pieces of mawa or paneer give a bite while eating the gulab jamun.
3. Add 1 tablespoon milk and gather together to form a dough with milk. Don’t knead. just gently mix. If you are unable to form balls or if the mixture appears dry, then add a few teaspoons of milk and mix again. Cover the dough and keep aside for 30 minutes. Mix 1.75 cups (250 grams) sugar in 1 cup water.
4. On a medium-low flame, heat the sugar solution until it becomes sticky. You just need to switch off the fire before the syrup reaches a one thread consistency. The syrup should be sticky and not watery. You can even cook the sugar syrup till it reaches a half-string consistency. Add rose water and stir. Keep the sugar solution aside. On cooling, if the sugar syrup crystallizes, then just add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and warm the syrup again. Stir while warming the syrup. The sugar crystals will disappear.
5. Make small balls from the dough without cracks. Cover the gulab jamun balls and keep aside. Heat oil until it is medium hot. Lower the flame to a medium-low or low and wait for a minute. Then gently place the gulab jamun balls in the oil. If in case, the gulab jamun is breaking while being fried, then add some more maida (about 1 to 2 tablespoons) in it. Mix gently again. Keep aside for fifteen minutes. Then later fry. You can also check one small piece before frying the rest.
6. Once they start to have tiny golden spots, keep on rotating them in the oil. Remove the fried gulab jamun balls and then drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
7. Then place the hot gulab jamun in the sugar syrup. Then continue frying the gulab jamun this way in batches. When all the gulab jamun are placed in the sugar syrup, then keep the whole pan on a low flame for 1 to 2 minutes, till the Jamun become soft. Heating helps the Jamun to absorb the syrup and become soft. The gulab jamun increases a bit in size. Don’t overcook as then they can break. Use a large pan, so that the fried Jamun balls are not overcrowded and you can easily stir them gently while they are simmering.
8. Serve gulab jamun warm or at room temperature. You can also chill them and serve them cold. Garnish them with rose petals or almond slivers.
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