Gulab Jamun

Eid Mubarak everyone! Yes, I know Eid was last week and I am late in wishing it you all plus, I haven't posted anything for a month now but, its better late than never ;) Because of my quite busy and occupying schedule during Ramadan (Muslim's month of fasting), I haven't  been able to share anything new on my blog after my last post but I had been posting some easy and quick Iftaar (breaking of the fast meal) recipes on my Facebook page so, I had been very much around :) I hope you all had a wonderful Eid, had loads of sweet delicacies and shared them with not only your friends, family and neighbors but with everyone alike :) 

Eid is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and every Muslim celebrates it with much zeal and religious fervor. We are advised to make our fellow Muslims and the other believers the part of our celebrations. This gives the message of love, peace and universal brotherhood and that's the true beauty of Islam. Eid is celebrated for three days but the whole month of Shawaal (the 10th month of the Islamic calendar) becomes a month of celebration as the dinners and family get togethers are planned over the weekend just to be able to spend more time with our loved one's. As desserts are a universal symbol of celebration, we Muslims around the world prepare and eat different kind of desserts and sweets for Eid and in this region, we make Sheer Khurma (vermicelli cooked in milk with sugar and nuts) traditionally which is eaten on the Eid day after offering Eid Namaaz (Muslim's form of prayer) along with other sweets and confectioneries. Mostly people buy Mithai (Pakistani/Indian confectionery) from the Mithai shops but some like to prepare different kinds of it at home too and Gulab Jamuns are one of them.

Stuffed Gulab Jammuns look more fancy

These beauties called Gulab Jamuns are certainly one of the easiest Mithais that can be made at home without going through any hassle and that also in not more than 30-35 minutes! Isn't that great! :D It is also one of the first desserts I learnt to make from my Mom and I remember, I was 14 at that time and wasn't able to contain my excitement at the first successful attempt of making them and not only did my Dad love them who is a Meetha (sweet/dessert in Urdu) lover but served them to my Chacha (paternal uncle) with a cup of tea and he literally loved them; the entire plate of the hot, syrupy, sweet and aromatic Gulab Jamuns was gone in no time!:D So you can have the idea yourself that they turned out just perfect, Alhumdulilah (Praise Allah) This Chacha of mine is so fond of tea that as soon as he used to enter our house, always requested me to make tea for him once he started liking the tea made by me and the same happens to date :) The love and appreciation of your family and friends not only encourages and motivates you to do your best always but gives you hope and strength to go through every ups and downs of life while keeping your head high so, make this addictive sweet by following this easy and a never-go-wrong recipe and share with your loved one's and with everyone who needs something/someone to put a smile on their face :) I make them by stuffing each Gulab Jamun with an almond but the choice of nut entirely depends on your desire; you can even leave it out and make plain Gulab Jamuns too. No hard and fast rule :)

Let the love of Mithai get Unleashed today! :D 

Gulab Jammun

Ingredients:

Milk Powder: 1 cup (any good quality brand but I use Nido)
All-purpose Flour: 3/4 cup
Semolina: (Sooji) 1 tbsp. (heaping full)
Ghee/Butter: (melted) 1 tbsp.
Egg*: 1 (medium sized)
Baking Powder: 1 tsp.

Fresh Cream: 3 tbsp.
Almonds: 20 (for stuffing) 

Saffron Essence: 1,2 drops (1/4 tsp of Green Cardamom powder can be used instead)

Oil/Ghee: 2,3 cups (for deep frying)
Desiccated Coconut/Mixed Nuts: For garnishing

Ingredients for the Sugar Syrup

Sugar: 2 cups
Water: 3 cups

Green Cardamom: 6-8


Method: 

1. Make the sugar syrup first by putting all the ingredients into a wide saucepan and cooking over medium heat while stirring to dissolve all of the sugar completely.
2. Bring to the boil and let it simmer over lowest flame for 3,4 mins. Turn off the flame and keep the prepared sugar syrup warm while you make the Gulab Jamuns.
3. Put the oil/Ghee in a frying pot/wok and place it over low flame to get warm. 
4. In a mixing bowl, put all the dry ingredients and mix them well.
5. Now add the egg, butter/Ghee, fresh cream Saffron essence/green cardamom powder. 
6. Mix all the ingredients until well combined and knead for a minute or so to form a smooth dough. If the dough feels sticky then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm it. 
7. By working quickly, pull out a small piece of dough and flatten it a bit over the palm of your hand, place one almond in the middle, close and seal the dough by shaping it into a small ball. Repeat the process to make all the balls.
8. Start frying the balls into the medium hot oil over low flame in batches. Once they rise to the surface, continuously but very gently move the Gulab Jamuns around while frying, so that they get evenly browned.
9. Fry each batch for 6-7 minutes to make sure they are cooked through.
10. Drop them into the syrup and let them soak while you fry the next batch.
11. Let the Gulab Jamuns simmer for 10 mins. into the syrup over the lowest flame possible so that the Gulab Jamuns absorb almost all of the syrup. 
12. Take out all the Gulab Jamuns in to a serving bowl with/without the syrup and garnish with the desiccated coconut or any chopped nuts of your choice.
13. Serve warm or cold but Gulab Jamuns are best enjoyed warm. 

Makes 20 approx.

*To make Eggless Gulab Jamuns, simply replace egg with 2,3 tbsp. of milk.

That's all Mithai fans!:) I hope you enjoy making and having it. Until next time, keep sharing the goodness of this greatest blessing, that has been bestowed in abundance upon us the lucky ones, with the less fortunate ones.
Thank you and please remember in your Du'as/prayers! :)

*Not be duplicated, rewritten or published without permission- Thank you!