Kala Jamun

Celebration time in our home! Its four years completed! Just cant believe that my sweet silly girl completed her four! Years are passing away so quick!
I just remember those nostalgic childhood days with my childhood friends, Saraunya, Priya, Archana and Jyothi. How our talks and chit-chats have changed? Just love to share with you all. How me and Priya used to escape from everyday studying, then talk about silly school stuffs and the way our parents talk and how we responded back to them! It dint stop there, then we had so much of girly girly talks in the besant beach board walk.
The Milky way ice creams, chats, etc etc... just countless. And now we talk about how our kids are growing and how to be a more patient mom like our moms. So many hows, before you count them and wonder, you will step into the next milestone in your life. Isn't this true?

Back to our recipe about the sweet I prepared for the birthday celebration. I sure was very gutsy to try something new for a whole lot of guests! It still was a hit, and now sundar takes one after one for his lunch as dessert.

Kala Jamuns are nothing but Indian cheese clad in sugar syrup and decked with shredded paneer or coconut. They are yet another delicious, delectable, appetizing sitting on the plate.

Kala Jamun are dark colored (almost black) gulab jamuns made from paneer and khoya and then deep fried and coated with sugar syrup.  Khoya is similar to Ricotta cheese, is commonly used to prepare many sweets and in some vegetable gravies. The major differences between Gulab Jamuns other than the appearance is the inclusion of Khoya along with Paneer.

You need:
Khoya - 2 cups
Paneer - 3/4 cups
Plain flour - 2-3 tbsp (all pupose flour)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk to bind, approx 1-2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 4 cups
Pinch of saffron
Few drops of rose essence

Shred the Khoya and Paneer and mix them well together.

Add the flour, cardamom powder, and mix them well. Use milk to bind them well. Make sure the dough you prepare is soft and tender. It should not be dry, else it will break when you fry them in ghee.

Now prepare the sugar syrup. Bring water to boil and add sugar. Bring to medium flame until the syrup reaches single thread consistency. To this syrup add the rose essence and the saffron. Make sure you keep this syrup warm or else it will crystalise.
Now make small balls, or to your desired size. Let the ball surface be as smooth as you can make them.

Heat Ghee in a frying pan - you will feel the difference by using ghee. This is the authentic preparation too! Once it is hot, reduce to low flame and gently drop the jamun balls in the ghee. Let it cook slowly. This will take some time, only then Jamun will get cooked in the inside. You will know once done, the below one will take some more time. It is half way through, we don't want half cooked.

 

It is very important that you cook in low flame. Now, once done transfer to the syrup immediately. More important thing is, the syrup should be maintained more than warm for the jamuns to absorb the sugar. What I suggest is, you keep them in a preheated oven or use a double broiler to keep them warm. 

I wanted to share the speciality and a silly sentiment attached to this sweet. Of all sweets my favorite sweets is Badhusha. I like Kala Jamuns when I was carrying Hasini. she had plenty of them right from my tummy. 

Back to our recipe,

Let this get soaked in syrup for couple of hours. You can taste one for testing, nice way to treat yourself before anyone does. This much soaking is more than enough. 

You can also make oblong shape or something different for kids.

Now, its time to crown the princess! Hmmm, garnish the Jamun. I like to garnish with a pinch of cream cheese or paneer.

 

Send this as entry to Srav's Cooking concept Festive food,