Gulab Jamun

There was a time when I used think that Gulab jamuns are made only from mix :-). It always used to be a failure as I cannot make a perfect round shape with mix. Then 3 years back I learnt this recipe from Menu Rani Chellam's cookery show. I loved the fact that I needn't have to sit and roll the Jamun for a long time and also  sugar quantity used was less unlike the Jamun prepared from Mix. 

Ingredients

Unsweetened Khova - 400 gms
(You get the unsweetened Khova in Nilgiris/Spencer's which is nothing but dried whole milk..In USA Ricotta cheese can be used to prepare Gulab Jamuns. Cook the ricotta cheese in a slow flame with constant stirring until the moisture evaporates. Then mix all purpose flour. The ratio may be a little different while using ricotta cheese. You can add more maida if it breaks while frying)
(1 maida : 4 khova is the proportion.)
Sugar - approx. 400gms( I used 3 cups)
Rose essence - 1 teaspoon
Water - 1 cup
Oil/Vanasapati/ghee - for deep frying

Procedure

1. Defrost the Khova for an hour. Add maida and gently mix. Don't give pressure while mixing. Prepare a smooth dough without any lumps.

2. Make gooseberry size balls. You needn't make it a perfect ball. Just a normal smooth shape in enough. Keep aside.

3. In a pan, add either cooking oil or vanaspati or ghee. Ghee or vanaspati is better if you want to store for a week or so. Jamuns should be fried in medium flame. Just drop one jamun to see whether it breaks or not. If it breaks just add a little maida to rest of the dough and fry.

4. Fry in medium flame until they are dark brown in colour. High flame will leave the inner part uncooked. Turn the jamuns gently inbetween to ensure uniform cooking.

5. Fry all the jamuns and spread it on a tissue paper.

6. In a wide mouthed pan add the sugar and water. Allow it boil. The syrup can be made either in a sticky consistency or single string consistency. Use sticky consistency if your kids like to have the syrup along with jamun. I have used one string consistency as I can serve it as Dry Jamun.

Also add a little milk to remove the dirt in the sugar. Dirt will come out easily after adding milk and you can scoop it out using a ladle.

7. Allow it to boil until you get a one string consistency..Now..what's this one string consistency...It's easy to find out. Keep a cup of ice water. When it starts boiling, touch the syrup with  your index finger and thumb. Then slowly take your index finger away from the thumb. Initially the syrup will just melt away.Then slowly you can see a single thread forming. At that stage switch off the stove.

Don't wait for too long.Just check every 30-40 seconds. As it's only 2-3 cups of sugar it will take long time. Also make sure you add 1 cup of water to 3 cups of sugar. If the quantity of water is more, getting one string consistency will take time than normal.

Add a drop or two of rose essence.

 8. Soak all the fried jamuns in the syrup an hour. It's better if you soak all the jamuns together. Take it out and roll it over powdered sugar if you want extra sweetness.