INGREDIENTS:
For Gulab Jamun Balls:
1/2 Cup Milk Powder
1/2 Tbsp Fine Rava
1/2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)
1/2 Tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1/8 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Water + 1/2 Tsp Water ( or as needed)
For Sugar Syrup:
1/4 + 1/8 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
5-6 strands of Saffron
1 Cardamon lightly crushed
3-4 drops Rose Essence (optional)
Oil/Ghee for deep frying
SERVES: Makes 8 Medium Size Gulab Jamuns
PREPARATION TIME: 15 Mins
RESTING TIME: 3 Hours 20 Mins
COOKING TIME: 12 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 3 Hours 47 Mins
METHOD:
1. In a small bowl take Fine Rava (Semolina). Add 1 Tbsp Water and mix well. Keep the mixture aside for 10 min.
2. Now to make Syrup take 1/4 + 1/8 Cup Sugar in a Pan. Add 1/2 Cup Water.
3. Switch on the flame and let the syrup come to boil.
4. Add Saffron and Cardamon (lightly crushed) and cook for 5-7 min.
5. After 5 min check the consistency of Syrup. It should be just sticky and should not have any strings.
6. Switch off the flame! Cover the syrup and keep aside,
7. Now take Milk Powder in a bowl. Add the prepared Rava mixture, All purpose flour (maida), Ghee (Clarified Butter) and Baking Soda.
8. Mix everything well. Mix very gently using finger tips. Don't use palms.
9. Knead it like a dough using about 1/2 Tsp Water. Mix again. Dough should be soft as like for making Rotis. Use more water if needed.
10. Now cover the dough and allow it to rest for 10 min
11. While the dough rest heat Oil/Ghee in a pan for frying.Ensure that flame is kept low and not use high flame.
12. After 10 min check the dough. Now using lightly greased hands divide the dough in to 8 equal portions.
13. Now using very light pressure make each dough portion round using palm. Don't press it hard or it can become stiff from inside. There should not be any cracks!
14. Fry Gulab Jamun balls in oil and keep flame on low. Don't use a spatula but instead shake the pan!
15. After 2-3 min turn the Gulab Jamun like this by rotating the Pan in circular motion. At this stage the Gulab Jamun are very soft so don't use a spoon/spatula
16. Rotate the Pan intermittently so that Gulab Jamun gets cooked from all sides to get golden brown color.
17. Once Gulab Jamun gets light golden and little stiff use Spatula to turn it.
18. Once Gulab Jamun are golden brown in colour take it out on paper napkin.
19. Before putting the Gulab Jamun in Sugar Syrup check its temperature. It should be luke warm. Don't put Gulab Jamun in cold syrup. If required heat the syrup a little!
20. Add 3-4 drops Rose Essence for nice flavour (optional)
21. Now put Gulab Jamun balls in syrup, mix, cover the lid and allow it to soak for 3-4 hours. Gulab Jamun will absorb the syrup and become sweet from inside.
22. Gulab Jamun would be ready to serve!
TIPS:
1. Use fine Sooji (Rava) don't take coarse Sooji! If you don't have fine Rava, grind Sooji in mixer grinder and then use it.
2. Ghee (Clarified Butter) used in dough should be at room temperature. Do not melt it.
3. Dough should be soft. If you feel that water is high in dough you can add 1/2 Tsp All Purpose flour in it and bring it to proper consistency. And if dough feels stiff then add 1/2 Tsp Water in it and make it soft. If water is less in the dough Gulab Jamun can develop cracks while frying.
4. Frying Gulab Jamun is very tricky! The temperature of the oil has to be perfect or Gulab Jamun will become brown from outside and remain under cooked from inside. Check by putting a small dough portion in the oil. If you can see the dough portion is not coming up immediately and there are no bubbles also then it means that oil is still cold and not the right temperature! And if you can see that there are lot of bubbles but the dough portion is not coming up and it is not becoming red immediately. This temperature of oil is perfect. We have to fry Gulab Jamun in this temperature oil only!
5. Sharp edges of the Spatula can make cuts in the Gulab Jamun avoid using it initially while frying.
6. When we rotate pan while frying then in this process we take Gulab Jamun away from heat so that it gets cooked from inside. If flame would be high Gulab Jamun will change its colour immediately and remain under cooked from inside.
To fry one batch of Gulab Jamun you will need 5-7 min. Don't hurry up frying them!
Click the "Print" Button on the top of this Page to "Save" this recipe
