Today, was one of the happiest days of my life. My younger one, officially started school today, though only play school. We had been planning to put her in play school ever since June, but somehow it just did not happen. Finally, she started her never ending journey of official learning today.
I can call myself the happiest and luckiest mom, as my lil one woke up, got ready and went to school very happily. As soon as we reached the school compound, the scene there made me worry a little. Most of the little kids were wailing and not ready to even enter the gate. I was worried that looking this my lil one may also start crying. But thankfully nothing like that happened and when I went back after a couple of hours to pick her up, she came out smiling beautifully. She really made my day today.
Now coming to today’s recipe, In the days of my grandfather, no Diwali is complete without Gulab Jamuns. Every year Gulab Jamuns, Badusha and Jangiri would be prepared in large quantities. This has kind of stuck with most in the family. Though I don’t prepare badusha and jangiri, my Diwali sure is incomplete without my favourite Gulab Jamuns. We still remember the delicious Jamuns my grandfather used to prepare using Khoya. They were the melt in the mouths kinds, but not melt in the syrup, if you know what I mean.
I have been making jamuns for long now with store bought ready mixes, sometimes they turn out good and sometimes, they become so soft that they just disintegrate in the syrup.
But, with this recipe, I’m sure my search for the perfect jamuns has come to end and I have decided never to go for the ready mixes any more.
Makes – about 25 small Jamuns
What you’ll need
- Unsweetened Khoya/Khova – 1 cup (You can use homemade or store bought, I used store bought)
- Maida/ All purpose Flour – ¼ cup
- Baking Soda – 1/8th tsp
- Ghee/Oil for Deep frying
For the sugar syrup
- Sugar – 2 ½ cup
- Water – 2 ½ cup
- Rose Essence – ½ tsp
Method
- If your khova is refrigerated, keep it outside and let it come to room temperature. This will make it soft too.
- Sieve the Maida and baking soda.
- In a wide bowl, add the khova and crumble it very well without the slightest of lumps.
- Add the sieved maida and baking soda and knead into smooth dough.
- Cover and set aside.
- Heat another heavy bottomed vessel, measure the sugar and add it to the vessel with equal about of water.
- Let the sugar dissolve completely and strain for impurities if required.
- Pour it back into the vessel and let it come to a boil.
- Once it starts boiling, simmer and keep it on low to medium flame for exactly 15 minutes. Turn off flame.
- Add the rose essence to the sugar syrup after 5 minutes.
- For making the jamuns,
- Heat oil or ghee for deep frying in a Kadai.
- Make small balls out of the dough, make sure there are no wide cracks. Do not press too had while making the balls.
- Once the smoking point of the oil has reached, turn the flame to low.
- Fry the jamuns 4 to 5 at a times on low flame until the desired colour has been achieved.
- Drain and transfer them into the sugar syrup.
- Do the same for the remaining jamuns.
That’s divinely delicious Gulab Jamuns are ready. Serve warm or cold.
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