Gulab Jamun using ready made mix

One of my most favorite desserts of all time is Gulab Jamun.During my childhood days, I never ate any dessert other than gulab jamun. Here, I make it occasionally for any potlucks or parties. My friends used to ask me, as to how I am able to make the jamuns without any cracks in them. So, this recipe is for them. I used MTR gulab jamun mix for this recipe, which is easily available in all Indian / Asian stores.

Servings : More than 40 gulab jamun pieces

Ingredients:

1. MTR gulab jamun mix – 1 packet (200 grams, approximately 1.5 cups)
2. Water – 1/3 cup + 1 or 2 tablespoons extra if needed
3. Ghee or Butter – 2 tablespoons
4. Oil – 2 tablespoons (for greasing the hands while shaping the jamuns)
5. Oil – 500 ml or as required (for deep frying)

For the sugar syrup:

1. Sugar – 4 cups
2. Water – 4 cups
3. Green Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

1. First, let’s prepare the dough for the jamuns. Add the contents of one MTR gulab jamun packet into a bowl and add 1/3 cup water along with 2 tablespoons ghee or butter. Mix it well and form a dough, similar to chapati dough. One or two tablespoons water can be added if needed. Just knead it for 2 minutes. Close it with a lid and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

2. For the sugar syrup: Take a deep vessel, add 4 cups sugar, 4 cups water along with green cardamom powder while keeping the heat in medium. Stir it occasionally. After 10 minutes, all of the sugar will be dissolved in the water. After 20 more minutes, the syrup starts to boil. Now the heat can be turned off. Sugar syrup is ready.

3. Now we are ready to shape the jamuns :

Grease both of your palms generously with oil. Take a small portion of the dough, the size of a small grape and place it in between the two palms. The left hand should be fixed and the right hand should move in clock wise direction for about 10 to 15 seconds, in order to shape the dough into a perfect sphere.

Grease your hand with oil for shaping each and every jamun. Only then the jamuns will not have cracks in them. Similarly shape all the jamuns and keep it ready.

4. Now heat oil in a pan for deep frying the jamuns. The jamuns should be fried in medium heat, i.e., the oil should not be hot for frying the jamuns. Try putting just one jamun into the oil. If bubbles start to form around the jamun, then few other jamuns can also be dropped in the oil.

The jamuns should freely swim around in the oil. Under medium heat, the jamuns should be fried for 4 minutes maximum, until they turn golden brown in color.

5. Now, warm the sugar syrup if it has cooled down. Then remove the jamuns from the oil and spread them on a paper towel to remove remove excess oil. After 2 or 3 minutes, drop them into the warm sugar syrup. Similarly, fry all the jamuns and transfer them to the syrup.

6. Let the jamuns soak in the sugar syrup at least for 2 hours before serving.