Gulab Jamon

[Sartain]

I'm making Gulab Jamon for a dinner on Sunday. If I make the dough tonight (Firday) and form the balls, can I hold them (in the frige or in the freezer?) for frying until Sunday?

Anyone got a recipe they are willing to share?

Thanks!

Stephenie

[scott123]

First of all, no matter what the recipe, fry/syrup them tonight and then rewarm them in the microwave on Sunday.

There are quite a few recipes on the web. I'm a big proponent of a chenna, mawa, flour combo. There are those that skip the chenna, which isn't the end of the world. Skipping both the chenna and the mawa, for me, is unforgiveable. My grocer just started carrying chunks of mawa (khoya). Hopefully yours has it as well since it's a big pain in the behind to make.

Here is one recipe that looks right. I was about to make it but then I jumped on the low carb bandwagon and had to delay my plans. Hopefully I can come up with a low carb version.

It is my belief that a lactic acid (yogurt/buttermilk) precipitated paneer (chenna) is superior for making desserts to a citric acid/vinegar/lemon juice one.

[Kapuliperson]

I think it'd be best if you just fry them, soak them, and freeze them already- jammus are always nice when they've been soaking for a while. But as Scott said, just make sure you heat them up again before you serve them.

[BBhasin]

Nooooooooo,

Do not make the balls and freeze. rather, fry golden and freeze the fried balls. Thaw them and soak them in syrup sunday morning and they will be perfect by dinner.

Here is the simplest possble recipe with excellent results

One cup Bisquick

One cup Milk powder ( carnation low fat or fat free is good)

1/8th cup veg oil

1/3rd cup water

Knead well to form soft dough. divide into sixteen. form into balls and deep fry low/med hot oil. for best results use fresh oil ( in which you have not fried anything yet)

Note: the quantity of water needs slight corrections where you are depending upon humidity, temperature etc. Also keep your dough/unfried balls covered with a moist cloth.

for syrup use two cups sugar and three cups water. add some cardamom, saffron etc if you like.

[scott123]

Since it's only two days it freezing necessary? Shouldn't refrigeration suffice?

The jamon that I get at my grocer are preservative free and last for weeks without impairment.

[Sartain]

Thanks for all your advice. I just made the jamons yesterday morning, and let them soak in the syrup and refrigerated them and re-heated for serving later. They turned out rather well, if I may say so myself.

Scott, next time I'll try the cheena and mawa recipe you suggested. I'm sure they'll be great!

[BBhasin]

Since it's only two days it freezing necessary? Shouldn't refrigeration suffice?

The jamon that I get at my grocer are preservative free and last for weeks without impairment.

←

Even though the gulabjamuns are done, and most likely all consumed, you are right scott refrigeration should be fine for a few days.

[rajsuman]

It's such a coincidence that this discussion should happen just when I've started my search for the best gulab jamun recipe. Well, two actually - one which will produce the softest melt-in-the-mouth jamuns ever (something like what you get out of a gits box), the other which has some body to it, something to bite into (more like a kala jamun really). I want to make these for Diwali. So far I've come across so many different kinds of recipes that the mind boggles. Bhasin, I'd love to try out your recipe, but I doubt I'll get Bisquick here. What does it contain? Can I use just any pancake mix? My friend makes some of the best gulab jamuns I've ever tasted, but I can't ask her for the recipe because of certain circumstances (it's not what you might think - she is very generous with her recipes and no we haven't fallen out).

Here's to a month and a half of sickening amounts of GJs , all in the name of research.

Suman

[jw46]

Bhasin, I'd love to try out your recipe, but I doubt I'll get Bisquick here. What does it contain? Can I use just any pancake mix?

Bisquick Mix Substitute

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

You can make this at home for much less than what Bisquick costs.

Ingredients:

10 C. Flour

3/8 C. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 1/4 C. Powdered Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Salt

1/4 C. Sugar

1 lb. Crisco shortening

Preparation:

Mix all together and store in an airtight container. This will last approximately a month. You can cut this recipe in half. Use as you normally would use Bisquick.

Can't find my recipe for bisquick replacement mix...in the process of remodeling...lucky that I can find my laptop in all the dissaray... sounds about right, though...

[rajsuman]

Scott123, I meant to say this yesterday, but real life got in the way of my virtual life and I forgot. Thanks for the tips - must try your version too. jw46, thanks for the bisquick recipe. I have another silly question - is the crisco shortening made only with vegetable oils ? I bought a pack of what I thought might be a satisfactory substitute - didn't read the label - now I find that it has a mixture of animal and vegetable oils. Should I bin it and go shopping for a more Crisco-like shortening?

Thanks,

Suman

[rajsuman]

Okay just found this:

http://www.crisco.com/about/prod_info.asp?...63&FlavorId=229

so my question has been answered I guess.

[rajsuman]

More questions:

What fat is the best for frying the GJs? Oil, ghee or shortening? I'm guessing the best would be ghee of course, so if that's correct, then what's the second best?

What consistency should the sugar syrup be of? Or does it matter? Some recipes say to heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves, others specify a one-thread syrup. Some recipes use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, others use a 2:1 or even a 1:2 ratio. What works out the best?

TIA,

Suman

[Episure]

More questions:

What fat is the best for frying the GJs? Oil, ghee or shortening? I'm guessing the best would be ghee of course, so if that's correct, then what's the second best?

What consistency should the sugar syrup be of? Or does it matter? Some recipes say to heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves, others specify a one-thread syrup. Some recipes use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, others use a 2:1 or even a 1:2 ratio. What works out the best?

TIA,

Suman

←

Ghee is numero uno for it's aroma and flavor, second choice would be any neutral oil like Sunflower. I use two syrup concentrations( I have to be different! ) a thin one for initial softening and a thick one for the second steep.

Sometimes I stick a candied rose petal in the centre.

[Peppertrail]

Ghee is numero uno for it's aroma and flavor, second choice would be any neutral oil  like Sunflower. I use two syrup concentrations( I have to be different! ) a thin one for initial softening and a thick one for the second steep.

Sometimes I stick a candied rose petal in the centre.

←

Would you mind sharing the ratio of water to suagar for these two kinds of syrups please. Candied rose petals? Where can you get them, or do you make your own?

Ammini