Gulab Jamun

Ingredients: 

Khoya - 1 cup
Maida - 2.5 tbsp
Cooking Soda - 1/8 tsp
Pistachios - 1 tsp chopped just for garnish
Oil - as needed to deep fry

For the sugar syrup:

Sugar - 1 and 1/4 cups
Water - 1 and 1/4 cups
Saffron - 4 strands
Rose Essence - 2 drops
Cardamom powder - a tiny pinch(optional)

Reciepe:

1. Take khoya in a bowl, mash it well.If you have refrigerated it, bring it to room temperature first then proceed.Add maida , cooking soda and mix well.

2. Add water little by little and gather together to form a dough, it will be slightly sticky.No need to knead it just gather them together to form a dough.Pinch a small ball and roll smoothly. Dont apply pressure while rolling and also dont roll them tight...the balls should be smooth.While you shape the balls, you can make the sugar syrup in parallel.It will grow in size so make small sized balls.

3.To make the sugar syrup : Take sugar, water and saffron in a bowl mix well.Then heat it up and let it boil for atleast 10-12mins in medium flame.It may take some time so meanwhile you can continue making the jamun balls.Stir the syrup in between.Add cardamom powder.When the sugar syrup starts turning sticky switch off.

4.Heat oil in a kadai not smoking hot, just hot enough to fry, - When oil is hot, keep in medium low flame drop few jamuns(may be 3-4) at a time, Roll the jamuns with a ladle when its getting cooked in the oil for even cooking and coloring.Fry in low flame till dark golden brown.

5.Drain in tissue and immediately add it to warm sugar syrup.Finally add rose essence.Cover and let it rest for 2 hrs for the jamuns to absorb the sugar syrup well.

Special Notes:

The dough should be very smooth and don't knead it as it will make the jamuns hard.

If the jamuns are perfectly cooked inside and soft then it will absorb the syrup well and grow in size.Make sure you soak them in sugar syrup as soon as you drain them in tissue paper.

The syrup should be warm while you add the jamuns, so plan and make the sugar syrup ready.

Also the dough should not be too tight which will again make the jamuns hard.

The balls should not have cracks, if it has cracks then the jamun will open out out while frying in oil so make sure to roll smoothly.If the dough seems to be dry sprinkle little water and mix it.Keep the dough covered to avoid drying.

Regulate heat as it might get to low/ high in between so keep checking and adjust accordingly.

Add water little by little as it takes very less water as the moisture content in the khoya helps in binding and to form a dough.

I recommend adding rose essence, it gives great flavour to the jamuns.

You can skip saffron and add cardamom powder, its purely your preference.But dont miss to add rose essence.

Make sure you roll the balls smoothly at the same time not too tight. Dont apply pressure while rolling else the center part will not get cooked and will be hard while eating.While rolling if there is a crack then the jamuns will break and open out while frying in oil.

Give atleast 2-3 hrs resting time for the jamuns to absorb the sugar syrup well.

Make sure you keep in low flame while cooking the jamuns as it may get burnt easily.If the oil is too hot, then the jamuns may turn brown faster but it may not have cooked inside especially the center part.

Make sure you have oil just enough for the jamuns to immerse fully. 

Oil temperature should be just right for the jamuns to cook perfectly, else it will break or will not get cooked inside