Gulab Jamun - Indian Yuuuummm!!

Ingrediants (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for the jamuns:

1 cup khoya/mava/evaporated milk, 100 gms, ¾ cup grated paneer, 100 gms of paneer, 3 tbsp maida/all purpose flour, 2 tbsp fine sooji/rava/semolina, 4 cardamoms/choti elaichi, powdered in a mortar-pestle, 1 tbsp milk or add as required, ¼ tsp baking powder, oil for deep frying the gulab jamuns

for the sugar syrup:

250 gms sugar, about 1 and ¾ cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp rose water, 1 tbsp milk (optional) - read notes

Method

1.   Take khoya/mava/evaporated milk in a bowl. mash it very well. there should be no lumps. you can also grate and then mash the khoya.

2.  Then add grated paneer, rava/sooji, all purpose flour/maida, baking powder and cardamom powder to the mashed khoya. there should be no lumps in both the mava and paneer.

3.    As if they are there, then you will find the texture of the gulab jamuns not so good. the bits and pieces of mava or paneer will give a bite in the mouth, when you have the gulab jamuns. they won't be smooth.

4.     Mix well. add milk and gather together to form a dough with milk. don't knead.

5.   Just gently mix. if you are unable to form balls or if the mixture appears dry, then add a few teaspoons of milk. cover the dough and keep aside for 30 mins.

6.   Dissolve sugar in water. heat the sugar solution till it become sticky. you just need to switch off the fire before the syrup reaches a one thread consistency.

7.   Add rose water and stir. keep the sugar solution aside. on cooling if the sugar syrup crystallizes, then just add 2 to 3 tbsp water and warm the syrup again. it will again return to a liquid state.

8.     Make small balls from the dough. cover the balls and keep aside.

9.    Heat oil till its medium hot. lower the flame and wait for a minute. then gently place the gulab jamuns in the oil.

10. Once they start to have tiny golden spots, keep on rotating them in the oil, so that the gulab jamuns are evenly browned.

11.   Remove the gulab jamuns and then drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.

12.  Then place the hot gulab jamuns in the sugar syrup. continue frying the gulab jamuns this way in batches.

13.  When all the jamuns are placed in the sugar syrup, then keep the whole pan with the sugar syrup and gulab jamuns, on a low flame for a few minutes till the jamuns become soft.

14.  Heating helps the gulab jamuns to absorb the syrup and become soft. the jamuns increase a bit in size. don't over cook as then the jamuns break.

15. Use a large pan, so that the gulab jamuns are not overcrowded and you can easily stir them gently while they are simmering.

16.  Serve gulab jamuns warm or at room temperature. you can also chill the gulab jamuns and serve them cold. garnish the gulab jamuns with rose petals or almond slivers.