Gulab Jamun with instant mix

Gulab Jamun is a sweet universally loved by people of all age groups. This is an easy to prepare sweet for any occasion. I have given the recipe to prepare the sweet with the ready made instant mix. Though it is an easy to prepare dish, there are few tricks in kneading the dough and rolling the balls so that the right texture is achieved. I got few tips from my sister-in-law before preparing this, which i have shared in the notes section.

Gulab Jamun Recipe

Makes  :  25 jamuns

Ingredients

• Instant gulab jamun mix   -  2 cups
• Water  -  as required for kneading the dough
• Oil  -  for frying the jamuns

For the sugar syrup

• Sugar  -  3 cups
• Water  -  3 cups
• Cardamom  -  few or Instant Badam mix  -  little

Method

1. Start off by preparing the sugar syrup. Take sugar and water in a pan/vessel which will be used for soaking the jamuns.
2. Heat up the mixture so that the sugar dissolves in water and starts boiling. 
3. Add cardamom( I've used instant badam mix here) and allow it to reach a slightly sticky consistency i.e. when u take little syrup in your finger, the stickiness should be felt. Switch off the stove.
4. Measure and take the gulab jamun mix in a wide bowl. Crumble it so as to remove any lumps in the mix.
5. Add water little by little to the mix and prepare a soft pliable dough without any lumps. It is not required to knead it hard like chapathi dough. Just gather the mix well to a soft dough.
6. Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Roll the balls gently without applying much pressure, so that the texture is soft.
7. Since the jamuns rise in size after being soaked in sugar syrup, make it as per your preferred size.
8. Heat up oil in a pan. Check the oil temperature by dropping a bit of the dough in the oil. If it raises immediately, lower the flame to minimum.
9. Drop the jamuns one by one. Do not overload - add 5 to 6 at a time.
10. Keep turning it gently with a slotted ladle so that all sides are cooked well.
11. Once the jamuns turn dark brown in colour, remove from oil, drain the oil well and immediately add it to the sugar syrup.
12. Repeat this for all the jamuns.
13. Allow the jamuns to be soaked in sugar syrup for at least 2 to 3 hours so that the jamuns absorb the syrup well.
14. The jamuns will be dark brown in colour once fried, but will change to bright red colour after being soaked in the syrup.
15. It tastes great both ways - hot and cold!!

Notes

• I was able to prepare 25 jamuns of the size as in the picture with the above measurement.
• Use equal amount of sugar and water for the sugar syrup. Switch off when the syrup has reached sticky consistency. Else the sugar will crystallise after cooling down. Also prepare the syrup in low flame only.
• Let the syrup be warm when you drop the jamuns. So prepare it only just before cooking the jamuns.
• While preparing the dough add water little by little and gather the mix to make a soft dough without any lumps.
• While rolling the jamuns, roll it gently without applying much pressure.
• Always fry the jamuns in low flame so that the inside is also cooked properly. 
• You can use the excess syrup(if left) by soaking pooris and have it as sweet pooris, Tastes great!!