A Quick Way to Prepare Shahi Gulkand Gulab Jamun

The recipe is the traditional gulab jamun recipe with the twist of gulkand, saffron, and sugar candy. Deep fried sweet dumplings filled with gulkand, pistachio nuts, broiled saffron and sugar candy, stewed in flavoured sugar syrup. SHAHI GULKAND GULAB JAMUN   Preparation Time: 05 minutes Dough Resting Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes. Servings- 25 nos. /pieces   Ingredients and Quantity:    Haryali Mawa- 250 gm. Refined flour- 50 gm. Soda Bicarb- a pinch Salt – a pinch Green Cardamom Powder- 04 gm Water, Chillied- As required to mix   For covering the dough: Muslin cloth- ½ metre   For the filling/stuffing: Gulkand- 50 gm. Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and cut into halves- 25 nos. Saffron strands, broiled / lightly dry roasted – 01 gm. Sugar candy (Mishri)- 25 nos.   For the Sugar Syrup: Sugar: 3 ½ cups Water: 1 ¾ th cups Rose water- 10 ml Green Cardamom powder very fine- 05 gm Muslin cloth for straining sugar syrup- ½ metre Saffron strands – 01 gm.   For clarifying the sugar syrup: Milk OR Lemon juice- 05 ml.   For deep frying- Oil / Pure ghee- as required   For the Garnishing: Silver leaf- 02 sheets Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and slivered- 15 gm Almond blanched, peeled and slivered- 10 gm Saffron strands, broiled / lightly dry roasted – 01 gm.   Method: Grate the mawa, add sieved refined flour, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Mix soda bicarb with chilled water. Mix into the mawa mixture. With the help of your fingertips, prepare a dough. DO NOT KNEAD, as the friction will cause the mawa to become warm and loose its actual texture. Keep the dough covered with a moist muslin cloth for 20 minutes. Divide into equal portions. Shape into round balls, press them, place a pinch of gulkand, the pistachio nut halves, broiled saffron and sugar candy in the centre and carefully reshape to ensure that there are no cracks in the balls. Deep fry on a slow flame in hot oil/ghee till golden brown. While frying the gulab jamuns, keep stirring the oil/ghee, not the gulab jamuns. Separately make sugar syrup of one string consistency by taking water, adding the sugar continuously stirring to make sure that the sugar is dissolved. Now switch on the flame, let it boil and reach to one string consistency. Add milk OR lemon juice to clarify the sugar syrup, remove the scum from the top and discard the scum. Add finely powdered cardamom powder and rose water. Strain through a muslin cloth. Add 01 gm saffron stands to the sugar syrup. Add warm gulab jamun to warm sugar syrup. Soak gulab jamun at least 10 minutes before serving so that it can absorb the sugar syrup. Just before service applies silver sheet, garnish with slivered pistachio nuts, slivered almonds and broiled / lightly dry roasted saffron strands.   Chef Tips:

1. The reason for putting salt in the mawa mixture is, that salt has the tendency to enhance and bring out the sweetness in the gulab jamuns / sweets prepared.
2. Haryali mawa is a special kind of mawa used especially for making gulab jamuns.
3. Make sure the oil/ghee is not too hot while you deep fry them, as they will only obtain the colour and remain uncooked from inside.
4. Do not soak gulab jamun more than 10 minutes before serving, as they tend to become soggy and loses its original texture and shape.
5. The ratio of sugar to water may be varied from 2:1 i.e. two parts of sugar to one part of water to 1:1 One part of sugar to one part of water. 3 ½ cups of sugar to 3 ½ cups of water.
6. You may add Kewra water to the sugar syrup to enhance the aroma and flavor.

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