Gulab Jamun
Restaurant-quality gulab jamun using the BIR method — deep flavour from base sauce, cooked to order in minutes.
G1 Base Sauce
2400 ml (8 portions) · 2+ hours · Involved
Key ingredients
100 ml oil · 750 gm onions (prepared weight) · 1 tspn salt · 1 tbspn turmeric · 1 tspn ground coriander · ½ tspn ground cumin · +8 more
Ingredients
- Makes 4 - serves 2
- Jamun/Dumpling
- ¾ tspn vanilla extract
- 2 tbspn milk powder (see note 1)
- 2 - 3 tspn yogurt as required
- 2 tspn plain flour (maida)
- 500 ml (or more depending on the pan used) oil for deep frying
- 2 tspn semolina (sooji/rawa)
- Syrup
- 1/8 tspn cardamom powder
- 2 tbspn caster sugar
- 1/8 tspn baking powder
- 3 tbspn water
- 10 gm unsalted butter
- 1 - 2 tbspn rose water to taste (see note 2)
Method
- 1
Jamun
- 2
Sift the milk powder, plain flour, semolina, cardamom powder and baking powder into a small bowl and mix well
- 3
'Rub in' the butter.
- 4
Add the vanilla extract and, using yogurt as needed, bring the mixture together (using a springy knife or spatula is ideal) and then form into a sausage shape and set aside, covered, for about .
- 5
Keeping a little 'dough' in reserve to test the oil temperature, separate the mixture into 4 equal pieces and press between fingers to form a smooth texture.
- 6
A little oil on the hands helps here - squeeze the mixture and roll into smooth balls (no cracks).
- 7
Frying
- 8
Heat the oil in a suitable pan (a wok is the ideal shape) until a small piece of the 'dough' sinks to the bottom and then rises after 4 or - (these can stick to the bottom and give a false indication).
- 9
Add the balls to the hot oil and move around in the oil until they begin to float.
- 10
Continue to fry for 7 - , turning them regularly (they tend to turn themselves periodically) until they turn a golden colour. (If the oil is the correct temperature it will take this long to get the correct colour and also cook the inside - adjust the heat if they seem to be colouring too quickly or too slowly).
- 11
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain.
- 12
Syrup
- 13
Add the sugar and water to a non-stick saucepan and boil, stirring regularly to fully dissolve the sugar and reduce a little.
- 14
Stir in the rose water and transfer the syrup (should have about 4 tbspn/60 ml) to a bowl or a milk saucepan.
- 15
Put the jamuns into the bowl and spoon over the syrup and leave to 'steep' for about (tilting the pan can help), spooning the syrup over the jamuns regularly, then transfer to a plate.
- 16
(The jamuns will have absorbed most of the syrup, swelling during the process).