Gulab Jamun

Wanted to make this as my post post of the New Year.  Late but Here's wishing you all lovely people a  very happy n prosperous new year.  May you all have a fabulous year ahead.  I know I am a tad bit late and my apologies.  I know, I have been a bit irregular, not that I haven't been cooking or making anything special.  Just that I had been caught with so many other things (won't get into the details of it lest I make a post of my delay's, haha) that I could not get myself to get the draft ready or take pictures.  I know I always have this as an excuse after am "missing in action" but I do get caught up with something or the other more often than not.  So, getting to today's post.  Beginning it on a sweet note.  This one can be made with khoya (solidified milk) or milk powder like the one I have made today.  And easy recipe which gets done in a jiffy.  if u have a liking for sweets am sure you are going to like this one.  So here goes the recipe for gulab jamun. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the gulab jamun:

Milk powder	3/4 cup
All purpose flour/maida	1/3 cup
Semolina/rawa/sooji	1/8 cup
Baking soda	1/4 tsp
Ghee (melted)	1 tbsp
Curds (whisked)	2-3 tbsp
Ghee/oil	For frying

For the sugar syrup:

Sugar	1 cup
Water	1 cup
Green Cardamom (powdered)	3-4 pods
Lemon juice	1 tbsp

METHOD:

For the sugar syrup:

1.       In a pan add the sugar and water and keep on high flame and let it boil.  Stir at regular intervals.

2.       Once it comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer till the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup turns slightly golden.

3.       Add in the powdered cardamom and mix well.  Add in the lemon juice and stir well so that it mixes well.

4.       Switch off flame and cover and set aside. 

For the gulab jamun's:

1.       In a wide bowl add the milk powder, all purpose flour and semolina and mix well.

2.       Add in the baking powder and melted ghee and mix well again.

3.       Add in the whisked curds 1 tbsp at a time.  Mix very lightly to form a soft but non-sticky dough.

4.       Grease your palms with 1/4 tsp ghee and make small balls of the dough taking care that there are no cracks on the jamun's (if there are cracks they would break open while frying) and keep them ready to fry.

5.       Heat ghee in a wok/kadai on a medium flame.  Once hot lower the flame.  Fry the jamun's few at a time until golden brown rolling them very lightly. Drain them on a tissue paper.

6.       Re-heat the sugar syrup if it has turned warm.  Switch off the flame and add the fried jamun's to the hot syrup and cover and keep them immersed in syrup for 2-3 hours.

7.       Serve hot or cold garnished with slivered pistachios or almonds.

NOTES:

1.       I have used curds, you could use warm milk.  I required only a tbsp and a half of the curds mentioned.  So pl add only a tbsp at a time and knead lightly.
2.       I made small balls as they will double in size.  While frying as well as in the sugar syrup.
3.       The number of jamun's that i got from this measure is 16.  So they would serve 6-8 people.
(Will post gulab jamun's with khoya reduced milk some other time.)