Gulab Jamun

# of servings:  Multiple	Soak Time:  2 hrs
Preparation Time:  20 mins	Cook Time:  15 mins

This crowd-pleaser dessert can be made and stored ahead of time!  Although made from a mix, the mode of preparation can make a huge difference in their taste and texture.  Be sure to try this method along with all the special 'tips and tricks' for delicious, juicy and soft jamuns.    

Ingredients:

• Jamun mix - 1 cup (200 gm packet) 
• Almond flour - 1/8 cup (25 gms) (optional)
• Milk - 4 oz
• Brown sugar (or) Sugar - 3.5 cups
• Water - 3.5 cups
• Cardamom - 4-5 pods
• Cloves - 4 
• Cinnamon - 0.5 inches
• Saffron - 3 pinches
• Rosewater (or) Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Ghee - 1 cup

Method:

• Place sugar and water in a wide vessel and stir together
• Put it on the stove (or) IP ('Soup' mode) on medium heat
• Stir every now and then till it comes to boil
• When it comes to boil, simmer the heat
• Let it continue boiling for 12-15 minutes and then turn off the heat
• Make a powder of cardamom (along with pods), cloves and cinnamon together
• Add this powder, saffron strands and rosewater/vanilla to this syrup and cover the lid
• Sift the jamun mix and almond flour (if using) together
• Pour the milk in very small increments and make a dough with a gentle hand (not kneading much at all)
• Set aside for 5 minutes
• Smear ghee on both the palms and make small, even-sized rounds, without any cracks
• Cover the balls with a lid 
• Heat the ghee in a small vessel at a moderate temperature (more than a simmer, less than medium)
• Place the syrup vessel on a low temperature as well
• Drop the balls, 6-8 at a time and fry them till they turn little more than golden brown
• Drain all the ghee and immediately drop them into the hot syrup
• Repeat this till all the balls are fried
• Turn off the heat for the ghee
• Keep the cover and continue boiling the syrup along with jamuns for another 5 minutes
• Turn off the heat and set aside for at least a couple hours
• Serve warm (reheat, if desired) with a generous ladle full of syrup
• Can be served warm along with cold ice cream too!   

Tips and Tricks:

• Brown sugar gives richer color
• An equal amount of water and sugar ensures a rich flavor and thick syrup
• Boiling the syrup ensure good texture for the syrup, rather than runny sugar water! 
• All the flavor powders and essences entice more with their aroma and enhance the color
• Adding almond flour gives a nutty flavor to the jamuns.  Be sure to not add too much or the jamuns will break and fall apart! 
• Mixing the dough with milk gives a richer taste
• Mixing and making balls with a gentle hand ensures softer jamuns.  (More kneading means rock hard jamuns, with a knot in the middle.  This is not a good outcome!)
• Using ghee to fry rather than oil adds to both taste and fragrance
• The right temperature to fry is essential so as to not undercook or overcook the balls
• Fried balls should directly be put into hot syrup to ensure absorption of the sugar syrup
• Boiling the syrup with the jamuns makes it easier for them to absorb the maximum amount of sugar syrup!  This makes juicy and soft jamuns!

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: