Baked Gulab Jamun Indian Dumplings In Syrup Recipes

Steps:

• First make a simple sugar syrup. Put the sugar, 3 cups of water, the cardamom seeds, and rose water into a deep-sided pan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer for around 10 minutes, until it thickens into a light, cordial-style syrup, stirring every now and again. Take off the heat, leave to cool, then taste and add more rose water (sparingly) if needed.
• To make the jamuns, mix together the milk powder, flour, semolina, and ghee in a bowl. Little by little, add the warm milk to the mixture to bind it together into a dough-you might not need all the milk, so add it slowly until you get a soft, pliable dough. Don't overwork it, just knead it until it comes together.
• Pour the oil into a deep-sided pan and heat it to around 275°F. Meanwhile, place a large plate or tray covered with paper towels on the side. Roll the dough into little balls the size of a marble (around ½ ounce each) and lay them out on another tray. These will inflate in the hot oil, so don't panic if you think they're a little small. When rolling, you might need a dab of warm ghee or oil to get a good ball. Try not to press too hard, and do your best to smooth out any cracks so the balls don't split in the hot oil. But equally, be gentle on yourself if this is your first time.
• Fry 4 to 6 jamuns at a time for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown, or the color of almond skin. Remove to the plate covered with paper towels and drain. It's worth testing the first batch. They'll be firm on the outside and cakey inside but not gooey. (If they're gooey, increase the cooking time.) Fry the rest. After they have cooled a little, put them into the syrup and leave to soak for a day or at least a few hours. To serve them warm, place the gulab jamuns and their syrup in a saucepan over gentle heat. Serve drained of all but a couple of tablespoons of the syrup. Sprinkle over the pistachios. If not serving straight away, refrigerate.

Steps:

• To make the syrup, heat the cardamom, sugar and 500ml water in pan, not letting the water boil before the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 10 mins, then leave to cool.
• Add the rosewater, saffron and some of its soaking water, gradually adding to give a subtle flavour. Set aside in the pan.
• To make the gulab jamun, grind the cardamom and sugar with a pestle and mortar.
• Sieve the milk powder, flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and stir in the ground cardamom. Rub in the homemade ghee or butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add the yogurt, lemon juice and enough milk to form a soft dough - take care not to overwork the mixture.
• Oil your hands with a little sunflower oil and shape small portions of the dough into balls the size of a small walnut, about 3cm in diameter and 20g each. You should have 16 balls. Take care that the dumplings are smooth and have no cracks or folds.
• Reheat the syrup. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and cover with a lid.
• Heat the ghee in a wok or karahi to 130C. When a small piece of dough dropped into the oil turns golden in about 40 seconds, fry the balls in batches over a medium heat, moving them around until they are an even, deep brown, about 5-7 mins. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon, then drain on kitchen paper. Add to the warm syrup, leaving them to soak for 2-3 hrs or preferably overnight.
• When ready to eat, warm the gulab jamun through in a wide pan, spooning over the syrup. Serve piping hot.