Gulab Jamuns

Ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for the gulab jamuns:

1 cup milk powder

¼ cup all purpose flour or maida

1 tsp oil or ½ tsp ghee

a pinch of salt (optional)

a pinch of baking soda

1 to 2 tbsp yogurt

a few blanched pistachio or almond slices for garnishing

for the sugar syrup:

2 cups water

1.5 cups sugar

3-4 green cardamoms, husked & crushed or powdered

a pinch of saffron/kesar (optional)

1 tsp rose water (optional)

Instructions

preparing the sugar solution:

mix water, sugar, cardamom and saffron.

keep this sugar solution on fire and cook till you get a syrup consistency.

there should be no thread formation in the sugar solution.

stir in the rose water and keep aside.

preparing the jamuns:

first mix the milk powder, all purpose flour, soda in a bowl.

add oil or ghee and just 1 tbsp of yogurt.

mix and keep on adding little of the yogurt to get a soft sticky mixture.

the dough should not be crumbly or dry. if it is then add some yogurt.

make smooth small balls from the dough.

heat the oil and the reduce the flame to low.

add the balls and fry them stirring often to get even color.

when they become golden, remove from a slotted spoon and add them to the sugar syrup.

let them soak in the sugar syrup for atleast 1-2 hours.

gulab jamuns can be served warm or cold. if they are at room temperature, then warm in the microwave and serve gulab jamun topped with sugar syrup.

Method: Step By Step

1. Take khoya in a bowl, mash it well.If you have refrigerated it, bring it to room temperature first then proceed.Add maida , cooking soda and mix well.
   
2. Add water little by little and gather together to form a dough, it will be slightly sticky.No need to knead it just gather them together to form a dough.Pinch a small ball and roll smoothly. Dont apply pressure while rolling and also dont roll them tight...the balls should be smooth.While you shape the balls, you can make the sugar syrup in parallel.It will grow in size so make small sized balls.
   
3. To make the sugar syrup : Take sugar, water and saffron in a bowl mix well.Then heat it up and let it boil for atleast 10-12mins in medium flame.It may take some time so meanwhile you can continue making the jamun balls.Stir the syrup in between.Add cardamom powder.When the sugar syrup starts turning sticky switch off.
   
4. Heat oil in a kadai not smoking hot, just hot enough to fry, - When oil is hot, keep in medium low flame drop few jamuns(may be 3-4) at a time, Roll the jamuns with a ladle when its getting cooked in the oil for even cooking and coloring.Fry in low flame till dark golden brown.
   
5. Drain in tissue and immediately add it to warm sugar syrup.Finally add rose essence.Cover and let it rest for 2 hrs for the jamuns to absorb the sugar syrup well.
   

Garnish with any nuts of your choice.

My Notes:

• The dough should be very smooth and don't knead it as it will make the jamuns hard.
• If the jamuns are perfectly cooked inside and soft then it will absorb the syrup well and grow in size.Make sure you soak them in sugar syrup as soon as you drain them in tissue paper.
• The syrup should be warm while you add the jamuns, so plan and make the sugar syrup ready.
• Also the dough should not be too tight which will again make the jamuns hard.
• The balls should not have cracks, if it has cracks then the jamun will open out out while frying in oil so make sure to roll smoothly.If the dough seems to be dry sprinkle little water and mix it.Keep the dough covered to avoid drying.
• Regulate heat as it might get to low/ high in between so keep checking and adjust accordingly.
• Add water little by little as it takes very less water as the moisture content in the khoya helps in binding and to form a dough.
• I recommend adding rose essence, it gives great flavour to the jamuns.
• You can skip saffron and add cardamom powder, its purely your preference.But dont miss to add rose essence.
• Make sure you roll the balls smoothly at the same time not too tight. Dont apply pressure while rolling else the center part will not get cooked and will be hard while eating.While rolling if there is a crack then the jamuns will break and open out while frying in oil.
• Give atleast 2-3 hrs resting time for the jamuns to absorb the sugar syrup well.
• Make sure you keep in low flame while cooking the jamuns as it may get burnt easily.If the oil is too hot, then the jamuns may turn brown faster but it may not have cooked inside especially the center part.
• Make sure you have oil just enough for the jamuns to immerse fully. 
• Oil temperature should be just right for the jamuns to cook perfectly, else it will break or will not get cooked inside.