GULAB JAMUN

Ingredients:

1 tin Nestle condensed milk (385g)

30ml water

30ml butter, melted

30ml semolina

10ml baking powder 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda 500 - 625ml cake flour 2,5ml ground cardamom Sunflower oil, to deep fry Desiccated coconut, for sprinkling

Syrup:

750ml sugar

500ml cold water

1 large cinnamon stick

Method:

To make syrup – Place the sugar, water and cinnamon stick in a thick bottomed pot. Stir well and bring to the boil until thin, sticky syrup forms.

Remove the syrup from the heat and keep warm.

Pour the condensed milk into a large mixing bowl.

Pour the water into the empty condensed milk tin and swirl to get as much condensed milk out of the tin.

Pour the water into the mixing bowl.

Add the melted butter, ground cardamom and semolina.

Mix well to combine the ingredients.

Sift the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cake flour into the mixing bowl.

Work the ingredients into soft dough forms but leave a few sticky patches in the mixture as this will prevent the dough from becoming too dry.

Grease a large baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Wash your hands and grease palms with a little oil.

Mould small amounts of dough into balls and into fingers. Place the gulab jamun on a baking tray.

Deep-fry the fingers in pre-heated sunflower oil on a medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly when they start to swell to prevent burning.

Turn the fingers to ensure they brown evenly.

Remove from the oil and drain for a few seconds before soaking the fingers in the warm syrup.

Remove from the syrup once the fingers start to sink.

Place the gulab jamun on a wire rack and sprinkle the over the desiccated coconut.

Yudhika’s tip:

Cover the dough with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out