Gulab Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Skim milk milk powder
• 1/4 cup - All Purpose flour (plain flour, maida)
• 3 tablespoons - Unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup -  Milk
• Pinch of Baking soda
• 1 3/4 cup - Sugar
• 1 1/2 cup Water
• 1 or two Cardamom
• Oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix milk powder, flour and baking soda.
2. Add the butter and mix well.
3. Now add milk to make soft dough. The dough will be sticky.
4. Let the dough stand for a few minutes. (Milk powder will absorb the extra milk. If the dough is dry, add more milk, as the dough should be soft).
5. Knead the dough. Grease your hands with butter before working with the dough.
6. Divide the dough into about 20 equal portions and roll them into round balls.
7. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 ½ inch of oil. (To test if the oil is the right temperature, place a small piece of dough into the oil; it should take a minute to rise. If dough rises faster, oil is too hot; if dough just sits without rising, oil is not hot enough).
8. Place the gulab Jam in the frying pan.  (remember gulab jam will expand in double the volume, so give them enough space).
9. It should take about 7 minutes to fry the gulab jam. While frying keep rolling the gulab jam around so they are evenly browned. Fry until the gulab jam become dark brown.
10. Let the gulab jam cool off for a few minutes before placing in the hot syrup.
11. The gulab jam should sit in the hot syrup for at least 20 minutes prior to serving.

Tips:

1. If the gulab jam are fried on high heat, they will become hard inside and not fully cooked.
2. Too much baking soda will cause the gulab jam to get too soft or they will break apart when frying.
3. Don’t place the gulab jam in the syrup immediately after frying. This will cause the gulab jam to lose their shape and become chewy.