Gulab Jamun

My earliest memory of Gulab Jamun is quite a funny one. As 4 year old kids my friend and I were invited to a birthday party. In the middle of the room was a table on which was a bowl full of around 10 Gulab Jamuns and the hostess said ‘go ahead and eat them’. There they were, round, shiny and succulent and to the eyes of us kids irresistible. We exchanged glances and in less than 5 minutes we had devoured all of them. Since then, this festive dessert has been my favorite. I make it almost once a month since all at home have a sweet tooth and we don’t need the excuse of a festival to eat it. I particularly like the Stuffed Gulab Jamun variety which is made by stuffing a mixture of dry-fruits in the centre of each Jamun.

Ingredients:

• Paneer – 500 gm
• All-Purpose Flour -125 gm
• Ghee-25 ml
• Soda – 1 pinch
• Dry Fruit mixture (chopped almonds, cashew, pistachio)- 50 gm
• Cardamom (powdered) -1 Tsp
• Water 1/2 Cup Ghee/ Oil (for frying)
• Sugar 1 Kg
• Water 1 liter

Method:

1.    For the Sugar syrup, heat water and sugar together, and bring it to a boil and keep it aside.
2.    For the Jamuns, in a bowl combine water and soda and then mix it with rest of the ingredients.
3.    Take some of the dough and put a stuffing of the dry fruit mixture in the centre of the dough and roll it into a lemon sized ball
4.    Repeat the same with the rest of the dough
5.    Keep it covered with a wet kitchen towel for around ½ hr.
6.    Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and put the Jamuns into it and fry till they are golden brown by stirring continuously
7.    Once they are ready directly drop them into the sugar syrup and let it soak for at least ½ hr.
8.    Serve them hot or cold

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Makes around 10 Gulab Jamuns