79. gulab jamun

spongy, sweet and evil 

 

GULAB JAMUN
Makes about 18 to 20 pieces

1 cup milk powder
1 tbsp sooji (semolina)
2 tbsps warm milk
1 tbsp plain flour
1½ tbsps ghee 
2 tbsps yogurt
½ tsp soda bicarbonate
¼ tsp Eno (fruit salt)
½ tsp cardamom powder

 For the syrup :
2 cups sugar 
2 cups water
a pinch of saffron
¼ tsp cardamom powder

oil for deep frying

1. Soak the sooji in warm milk for 15 minutes.
2. Mix sugar and water in a pan and put it on medium heat. When it begins to boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Switch off the heat. Add the saffron and cardamom powder.
3. Sieve the milk powder, plain flour, soda bicarbonate and eno together into a mixing bowl. Add the cardamom powder.
4. Rub in the ghee with your fingers.
5. Add the soaked sooji and yogurt. Mix using a big spoon or spatula. At this point the dough will appear like a paste.
6. Rest the dough for 15 minutes.
7. Grease your hands and gently make a ball from the dough. By now you should be able to work with it. Don’t mix it too much.
8. Divide the dough into 18 to 20 parts. Roll each part into a small ball. It should be about marble size. Be careful that there are no creases on the balls.
9. Heat the oil in a wok or karai on medium flame. To check if it is just hot enough, drop a tiny piece of the dough in the middle of the oil. If it begins to sizzle then its ready. 
10. Drop the balls into the oil about 6 to 8 at a time depending on the size of the karai or wok. Lower the heat and keep on rotating the balls till they become golden brown. Remember to fry them over low heat. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
11. Put the dumplings or jamun on a kitchen towel to drain out the excess oil. Fry the remaining balls.
12. When all the jamuns are fried, heat the syrup again if it has become cold. When it is warm, drop all the jamuns or dumplings into the syrup. 
13. Let the jamuns soak up the syrup before serving.