Dry Gulab Jamun is my most favorite sweet next to Badusha & Payasam. Due to Appa’s nature of work we had the opportunity to spend our childhood in different districts of TN. We lived in Thanjavur for about 3 years. At least once in a month a visit to Big Temple and Hotel Karthik used to be there 🙂 Tasted Chola Boori (a.k.a Channa Bathura) for the first time in that place. Not sure if the hotel still exists but the memories are so fresh. Not just Chola Poori but we were introduced to various Indian Sweets like Dry Gulab Jamun, Surya Kala, Chandra Kala, Asoka Halwa when we were there. When we hear Appa’s Rajdoot horn me and my brother used to run and look eagerly at Appa in a hope that he would have brought some treats for us from Bombay Sweets 😋😋
Have been wanting to make both Gulab Jamun and Dry Jamun from scratch for a long time. But somehow that didn’t happen. Have tried only Chocolate Peda recipe using Milk Powder. Hopefully will try to do Jamuns sometime. Yesterday I tried this Dry Gulab Jamun recipe using East End brand’s readymade Jamun mix (not sponsored). It turned out utterly delicious. Sharing the recipe and some tips and tricks for getting that perfect Jamun here. Hope it helps you. I wish I had Rose Water. It adds such a lovely flavor to Sugar Syrup. If you have it do add a teaspoon or two when making syrup
Notes if you are using Induction Hob for making Dry Jamun :
- Make sure to heat the oil in medium temperature setting. I used level 6 in my Samsung Induction Hob. This step will ensure that Jamuns are cooked evenly
- When you feel the frying pan/kadai is heated too much then shift it to an adjacent zone for few seconds. Then again move back to its original zone. This way the oil doesn’t get heated up too much and will prevent from Jamuns getting burnt
- Fry the jamuns in batches and don’t over crowd them in the kadai
- Also make sure Jamun dough balls aren’t dried much before frying them in oil. Once you shape them place them in a container, close it with a plate. Then start frying the Jamuns in batches
How to prevent cracking while making Jamun :
- Don’t over work the Jamun dough
- Add water little by little and form the dough. Add 1 tablespoon of melted ghee when preparing the dough
- Grease the palms with oil or ghee and then start shaping the Jamuns
- Roll them gently between the palms. After few seconds you can see the Jamun dough without any cracks on it
- If there are few mild cracks don’t worry it won’t break
- Adding Honey when making the Sugar Syrup will also help the Jamuns in holding shape
| Servings |
Dry Jamun
|
- 1 cup sugar I used Demerara Sugar. You can use white sugar, coconut sugar or organic sugar or any variety based on your preference
- 1.5 cups water
- 1/2 tablespoon Cardamom Powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup Instant Gulab Jamun Mix
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1/4 cup of water Along with this keep extra 1/4 cup water aside and add only when needed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for greasing the palm. You can use ghee instead of oil too
- 1/4 cup water plus little extra if the dough becomes too dry
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar for coating at the last step
Ingredients
Ingredients for making Sugar Syrup
Ingredients for making Jamun
|
|
- Boil water in a vessel for few seconds
- Add a cup of Sugar. Since we will be coating the Jamuns again in powdered Sugar I added only one cup of Sugar for making Syrup. If you have sweet tooth you can add extra half cup of Sugar
- Let this mixture boil for 10-15 minutes until the syrup becomes lightly sticky
- Add cardamom powder and honey. Mix everything well. Once the water has considerable reduced and the syrup is sticky remove it from heat
- In a wide bowl take one cup of Instant Gulab Jamun mix and one tablespoon Ghee
- Add 1/4 cup of water little by little first and gently bring it together
- Start forming a dough. Add extra water if you feel dough is bit dry. Slowly form the dough. For me it took little less than 1/2 cup water
- The dough should be smooth like this
- Grease your palms with oil or melted ghee and start shaping them
- In the meantime heat oil to fry the Jamuns
- Make even sized balls and keep them ready
- Start frying them in batches
- Keep turning the Jamun balls gently
- They tend to brown very quickly. So make sure to maintain the heat and as well as keep rotating the Jamuns so that they all are cooked evenly
- You can make it let it to darker color than our regular Jamuns. That doesn't mean you have to burn them 😉😬 Just make sure they are evenly cooked
- Once they are deep fried transfer them to a kitchen towel and remove excess oil
- Then drop the Jamuns in Sugar syrup
- Let them soak all the syrup for atleast 35-40 minutes
- If you want to have warm Gulab Jamuns you can have it as it is and skip the next few steps
- Strain the syrup from soaked Jamuns. Use a spoon take the Jamuns carefully from the syrup without breaking them and place them again on a kitchen towel. After few seconds remove the towel. This step seems like an extra step but this ensures the powdered sugar sticks well to the Jamun. You can use the syrup for making Kheer or any other dessert
- Then powder 1/4 cup of Sugar. I used Demerara Sugar. Hence the light brown color tinge on the Jamuns. You can use your preferred choice of sugar
- Coat the Jamuns in Sugar and refrigerate until you use them
- Dry Gulab Jamuns are ready to be served. You can make them ahead and pack them as gifts to your friends on this festive occasion
