Festivals & Significance · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings.

Vishu – Significance & Preparation for the New Year.

Shoba13 Comments

Vishu – the dawn of the new month of Chitrai also celebrated as Tamizh Puthandu or the Tamil New Year`s Day in Tamil Nadu has been a very special occassion in our family. Many of our ancestors had roots in kerala, so many of our cultures and practises have been handed down from them over the years. Although my parents have been born and brought up in Tamil Nadu, we do follow Vishu on April 14`th ever year.
Vishu symbolises the fact that you need to start right and have the whole year right. What we see on the first day of the new year has to be pure, auspicious and signify abundance and good fortune.  Hence the custom of opening one`s eyes to Vishukkani – that which is seen first on Vishu. The preparations for Vishu starts in our home almost a month ahead. All the waste in the house is gotten rid of and cleaned and made pure. Homes are cleaned and painted in anticipation of the oncoming new year.The pooja rooms are also cleaned and the pictures of the Gods wiped clean and decorated with the Kumkum and Chandan.

When I was in school, amma and me would go to Ranganathan street the evening before Vishu, and buy guavas, jackfruit bananas and  yellow cucumber. I do not exactly know the significance of these particular fruits and vegetables, but I have heard that the “Kani” should signify auspiciousness through the yellow colour. Madurai amma would make the pooja room resplendent with her beautiful “maakolams” which are basically rangolis etched n the floor with a watery mix of ground rice paste and water. When they dry up after an hour, they look so beautiful on the marble floors. After we all go to sleep, Madurai amma would set up the Kani.

  • The centre of the Kani would be her lovely heavy mirror laden with a lovely gold necklace. Then she would keep two silver lamps ready with wicks in place and oil poured, right in front of the mirror. The mirror would also have a lovely jasmine garland adorning it, taking care that it does not disturb the sight in front. The mirror when seen on the morning of Vishu, signifies Devi and also the reflection of the things in front of the mirror, shows  that these would be multiplied by her Grace.
  • A coconut would be broken exactly in half, and set one on either side of the mirror with a whole yellow lemon in it. Care should be taken that the lemons are as fresh as possible with no flaws or eyes. I am guessing the lemons and coconut signify prosperity and good tidings.
  • Madurai amma would then set two lovely silver cups one with raw rice and one with raw toor dha, also in front of the mirror. We pray t the Goddess that we shall be in abundance of rice and lentils always.
Coconuts, Lemons, Coins, Flowers, Rice & Dhal
Coconuts, Lemons, Coins, Flowers, Rice & Dhal
  • There would be smaller silver cups filled with silver coins, gold coins etc. Gold coins are symbols of monetary affluence, as well as cultural and spiritual wealth, which the elders of the family must share freely with the younger generation.
  • The Vishukkani is also laden with flowers, fruits as mentioned and some vegetables. We also keep chandan and kumkum in the Kani as it completes the preparation.
Coins symbolising prosperity.
Coins symbolising prosperity.

Madurai amma would wake up very early, light the lamps and the incense sticks and set everything ready for the rest of us to get up and see. She would then close our eyes and bring us to the Pooja room one by one. The significance is to look at such goodness and bounty, which will in turn render our lives with such goodness and bounty. As we open our eyes to drink in the beauty of the lamps, the fragrance of the jasmine, the jackfruit and the incese all in one, the sight we behold is as beautiful every year as if we see it for the first time. The reflection in the mirror only adds to the beauty of the grandeur already resplendant in all its glory. We would see the lemons, the coconuts, the coins, the gold and then finally prostrate to the Lord. After our bath in the morning, its customary to take the blessings of all the elders in the family, for the fulfillment of the new year.

Vishukkani spells out abudance – both spiritually and materially. Food, wealth, good fortune, knnowledge and light, should accompany us at all times. The wonderful sight we behold on the first day of the new  year, must keep with us, all year and permeate our being.This year, I missed the jackfruit and jasmine, which is so charecteristic of my memories of Vishu…Nevertheless, I made my Vishu for my family, in true spirit, with the fruits and vegetables that I could get in here. My daughter was thrilled to see the Vishukkani in the morning….I saw her excitement on her face, and was instantly transported to some ten fifteen years ago….

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Happy New Year to one and all.

Brisk Breakfast · Easy LunchBox Series. · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Kuzhi Paniyaram ( Delicious Chettinad Speciality made from Dosa Batter)

Shoba11 Comments

Delicious Kuzhi Paniyaram.
Delicious Kuzhi Paniyaram.

The first time ever that I had Kuzhi Paniyaram was in this colleague`s home in Chennai. My friend`s mother had made delicious soft, fluffy paniyarams and served it ith spicy tomato chutney. I am guessing that day I lost track of the number I had at her place. Kuzhi basically means a depression” and since this is made in the tava that has little depressions, the name came to be Kuzhi Paniyaram.

Paniyarams cooking in the Paniyaram Maker.
Paniyarams cooking in the Paniyaram Maker.

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Grand Sweets and Snacks in Adyar  also serve hot Kuzhi Paniyarams made right in front of your eyes and served with Tomato Chutney. Since they are so small and so soft, ita makes an ideal snack item for the evening. It can be fixed in a jiffy and is made from Dosa Batter so even a small portion of leftover batter makes around 20-25 paniyarams. This evening my daughter wanted a filling snack and asked for dosa. The batter was already 3 days old and I was not too keen on making dosas for her. Suddenly I realised that I could make this for her and she would instantly love it as its also bite sized. Great with a hot cuppa coffee!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of dosa batter.

1 Medium Onion or 2 small finely chopped.

3 green chillies finely chopped.

1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped.

A few slivers of coconut if needed.

Oil to cook.

Mustard, Curry Leaves and Hing to season.

PREPARATION:

  • The consistency of the batter should be just like dosa batter or else a tad loose. If it is too thick, you could thin it by adding a few spoons of coconut milk.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of oil and when hot pop the mustard, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger, coconut slivers and hing and allow to saute for a minute.
  • Then add the chopped onions and saute well.
  • Add this to the dosa batter and mix it well. Add requisite salt and cilantro to garnish.
  • Keep the Kuzhi Paniyaram Non-Stick Plate on the stove and add one drop of oil in each depression.
  • Slowly pour the prepared paniyaram batter but take care that it contains itself inside the depression.
  • When this side is done, turn over the paniyarams to the other side using the help of a spoon or  this.
  • When the other side is also cooked, remove and place on a tissue paper on a plate.
  • Serve Hot with Chettinad Tomato Chutney.

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Kid Friendly Recipes. · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties. · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Yellow Peas Sundal. (Yellow vatana cooked and spiced with coconut and chillies)

Shoba9 Comments

Delicious Sundal.
Delicious Sundal.

The word sundal to me conjures up two things – One – Navarathri where “Sundals” are the main naivedhyams to the Goddess Devi and two – Marina Beach where hawkers sell the awesome Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal literally which translates to Coconut Mango and Green Peas. Although my mom has never ever allowed me to even look in to the hawker`s basket, all of us cousins secretly hoped to taste it some day as the aroma wafting in the air would be simply too much for us.

Navarathri again is an altogetherly  different option. Every day of Navarathri, we would be invited by the mamis next door and in the neighbouring apartments for “tamboolam“. So my sister and me would be dressed in our finest pattu pavadais, resplendant in their colours and happily go to their homes. Normally, we would be asked to sing a song on Devi, which we would and then after some time we would be given little baskets with turmeric, kumkum, and hot sundals wrapped in newspaper. As days went by, these newspaper parcels were stylishly replaces with little ziploc covers, but I missed those days of simplicity, where people had time to listen to little girls sing, enquire about each other in all sincerity, explain significances of the navarathri dolls etc.

Last night when I saw the little canister of yellow Peas in my pantry, I decided to soak it up overnight so I could make sundal the next day. Yellow Peas  is an excellent source of protein as its a healthy legume. Many days, its an easy snack for the kids when they come home in the evening from school as its both healthy as well as filling.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Yellow Peas.

1/4 cup of dessicated coconut.

3 green chillies.

Salt.

Hing.

Seasoning:

Mustard, Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Soak the yellow peas the previous night for about 6-8 hours.  If you plan to make it for an evening snack, it is enough if you soak it that morning.
  • Drain all the water and pressure cook with a little salt and just enough water that they just reach the top of the vatana peas. Do not add too much that the peas drown in the water. This will render them mushy.
  • Switch off after 2 whistles and open after pressure is released.
  • Grind the coconut and green chillies without any water in to a coarse mix. Set aside.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of coconut oil and when it is hot, add mustard, curry leaves and a dash of hing.
  • Immediately add the cooked yellow peas and a little salt and hing as required.
  • Garnish with the coconut-chilli mix and incorporate it well in to the peas.
  • Switch off the stove and serve with Sambar and Rice or as an evening snack for the kids – a healthy side/snack ready in minutes.

NOTE:

  • One variation is to season with only mustard and garnish with finely chopped coconut slivers, and finely chopped mango pieces. The crunchiness from the coconuts and the tang from the mangoes are incomparable.
No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu (Spiced lentil balls simmered in tamarind gravy)

Shoba8 Comments

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Paruppu Urundai literally means balls of lentils. These are little balls of spiced lentils which are simmered in tamarind gravy. Urundai Kuzhambu has been a delicacy reserved to certain special days like sundays or festive occassions. The balls are also an excellent accompaniment with curd rice and an enricing source of protein. Normally when amma makes Urundai Kuzhambu, there would not be any left for the evening dinner!  This was our weekend lunch menu and I wanted to share it on my blog today.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup of toor dhal.

1/4 cup of bengal gram.

1-2 spoons of raw rice.

3 red chillies.

A pinh of hing

1 spoon of sambar powder.

1 spoon of rice flour.

Curry Leaves.

2 cups of tamarind extract water.

PREPARATION:

  • Soak the toor dhal, bengal gram, raw rice and red chillies in water for 1-1 1/2 hours. Then grind it with hing and a little salt to a thick  paste without adding too  much water. Try pulsing in the mixer so it helps in the easy grinding.
  • You should be able to make balls with your hands. Keep the balls of dhal aside. Add 1/4 cup of water to this mixer jar, a spoon of rice flour and give it a good shake and set this water aside.
  • In a kadai, add the 2 cups of tamarind water, sambar powder, hing, turmeric, salt, curry leaves and switch on the stove.
  • Allow the tamarind base to cook and lose all the raw smells. Now add 2 spoons of oil.(We do this so that when we drop the lentil balls in to the kuzhambu, the balls dont break.)

Lentil Balls floating...
Lentil Balls floating...

  • Now slowly drop the prepared raw lentil balls and allow them to cook well. As these are raw lentils, you must allow sufficient time for the flavours of the tamrind and spices etc to seep in to the balls.
  • The kuzhambu will reduce and thicken slightly. When the balls are cooked pour the water from the mixer container in to the kuzhambu to bring it to a thick kuzhambu consistency.
  • Season with mustard, curry leaves and pour over the kuzhambu and serve HOT with Vendekkai Fry.
No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Urulai Fry (Alu Fry) – Potatoes flavoured with spices and finished in the Oven.

Shoba15 Comments

Urulai Fry.
Urulai Fry.

My husband got a huge bag of golden potatoes from the Indian store demandng me to make his favourite alu fry. These were the smaller golden potatoes with very thin skin which cooks pretty fast. So I got around to making it and I always start by pre-cooking it for  one whistle in the pressure cooker, lightly sauteing it in the pan and then broiling it in the oven. It`s fast, easy and very very original.

INGREDIENTS:

8-9 Medium to Small Potatoes.

Pinch of Turmeric.

Salt.

1 spoon of Red Chilli Powder.

Hing

Seasoning:

Oil, Mustard, Broken Urad Dhal and curry leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Peel the skin off all the potatoes and drop them in a vessel with a little water and salt and cook them for JUST ONE WHISTLE in the pressure cooker. Remove the cooker from the electric plate and keep in a cool place.
  • When the water is drained and the potatoes cooled, chop them in to big 1  inch pieces and set aside.
  • In a kadai, add 3 spoons of oil and when hot, add mustard, urad dhal and the curry leaves and a pinch of hing and then immediately the pieces of potatoes.
  • Add requisite salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and stir well.
  • Cook till the salt and the spices are well flavoured on the potatoes.
  • After about ten to fifteen minutes switch off the stove.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease an oven proof dish with oil spray and pop the potatoes in it.
  • Place the potatoes inside the oven for 3-4 minutes.
  • Now turn the setting to BROIL and allow it to broil for exactly 1 1/2 minutes.
  • Take out the potatoes, give it a stir so that the potaotes below come up.
  • Broil again for exactly 1 1/2 minutes. BROILING FOR ANY MORE TIME WOULD BLACKEN THE BEAUTIFULLY DONE POTATOES.
  • Serve sizzling hot with Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu and Pumpkin Kootu.

NOTES:

The option of broiling in oven is to cut back on the oil consumed in getting the “fried” taste and texture. It can be completely cooked on the stove top, on medium flame , adding oil now and then.

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No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Pumpkin Potatoes & Koorkai Poricha Pepper Kootu.

Shoba7 Comments

Pumpkin Potatoes and Koorkai Kootu.
Pumpkin Potatoes and Koorkai Kootu.

Sundays are always meant for lazy morning brunches and steaming hot early dinners of home made goodness. I had this lovely fresh piece of pumpkin inside my refridgerator and my husband decided he wanted a kootu – which is a side – almost a thick gravy. I had already made the Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu from yesterday and the freshly made kootu smelling of vegetables and coconut and peppery niceness that it was a flawless compliment. I decided to toss in the koorkai at the last instant as I love the flavour and aroma of this root tuber. This preparation is pretty versatile so it could be substituted with any vegetable like chayote, bottle gourd, cucumber etc.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 – 2 cups of chopped pumpkin.

2 Medium Potatoes Chopped.

A handful of chopped Koorkai.

1/4 cup of cooked bengal gram.

2 tsp of broken urad dhal.

A spoon of black pepper.

1/3 cup of dessicated  coconut.

A spoon of cooked toor dhal (optional).

A pinch of turmeric.

A pinch of red chilli powder.

Salt.

A pinch of hing.

Seasoning:

Mustard, Broken Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Take the vessel and add all the chopped vegetables, pour just enough water so it just covers the veggies and switch on the stove. Add salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and allow them to cook well.
  • Cook the bengal gram so it does’nt get too mushy but just enough.
  • Take a small seasoning kadai and roast the urad dhal, pepper and a few curry leaves in oil till the urad dhal turns golden brown.
  • Grind this with the coconut to a smooth paste and set aside.
  • When the vegetables are cooked well, add the ground paste, cooked bengal gram, salt if necessary, a spoon of cooked toor dhal. Mix well and allow to come together.
  • Season in gingely oil with mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves and serve with Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu and Lemon Rasam.

Weekend Menu 1:

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu,

Tomatillo Lemon Rasam ,

Pumpkin Potatoes & Koorkai Poricha Kootu &

Urulai Fry./Alu Fry.

Festivals & Significance · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings.

Significance of Ram Navami & Offerings – Sweet Panagam.

Shoba3 Comments
Panagam.
Panagam.

The festival of Sri Rama Navami marks the birthday celebrations of Lord Rama, an incarnate of Lord Vishnu. The main significance behind the celebration of this festival is that the character of Lord Rama signifies an ideal son, an upright husband, a righteous King, and a loving brother and even an ideal man, someone who follow the right path against all odds in life. He was also the true embodiment of humanity. So celebration of Sri Rama Navami is a special reminder of all the noble deeds or ideals for which Lord Rama symbolizes. So if we see it in true sense it is not only a festival to enjoy and have fun there are lot more things to be learnt. It is a celebration of goodness and its victory against all evils. Sacred places associated with Lord Rama, like Ayodhya, Ujjain and Rameshwaram, draw tens of thousands of devotees. In Rameshwaram, thousands take a ritual bath in the sea before worshipping at the Ramanathaswamy temple. There are also lots of Parayanams and satsangs where devotees get together to hear the story of Lord Rama and to sing bhajans in his praise.

One of the most popular offering to the Lord, on this day is the “Panagam”.  I remember my amma making Panagam and offering it to the Lord and then all of us having it and enjoying the sweet from the jaggery and the spice from the ginger…

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups of water.

1/4 cups of jaggery.

1 tsp Grated Ginger.(Originally use “Chukku” or Dried Ginger)

1 tsp powdered cardamom powder.

Dash of Ground Black Pepper.

PREPARATION:

  • In a vessel, dissolve the jaggery in the measured water and set on the stove on medium low.
  • Slowly add the chukku after mashing it with a mortar and pestle or simply use fresh zested ginger.
  • Add powdered cardamom powder and a dash of ground black pepper.
  • Stir in well and switch off.
  • Offer Naivedhyam to the Lord and sip sweet Panagam.

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No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.

Shoba6 Comments

Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.
Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.

Cold weather and rains always make me remember Comfort Foods….Foods that have been a part of our growing up, something that I always took for granted for a long long time. When I went to stay in the hostel for my Masters, I realised the warmth and love that goes in to the food our moms make for us. Nothing that I can have in restaurants can even come close to the lingering fragrance and warmth from food cooked at home with loving hands.

After a festival or function,we would crave for amma`s home made simple pathyam food to cleanse our systems.  I always loved her simple lemon rasam with Beans Curry or Chow Chow Kootu and Appalam. I am not so happy with the tomatoes here in the U.S, as I feel they lack tartness and tang. Yesterday when I saw tomatillos at the local produce store, I bought a pound or two, all the while imaging endless possibilities. Tomatillos can be stored in paper bags and kept in the refridgerator for around 2-3 weeks. The tomatillos have a protective outside husk. Remove the husk and wash before use. Tomatillos are used in many places in teh treatment of fever. I had to make this lemon rasam today, as its been pouring since morning and I suddenly yearned for amma`s cooking…

Tomatillos with husks...
Tomatillos with husks…Pic Courtesy Gourmetsleuth.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tomatillos or 1 Tomato

1  Jalapeno  slit vertically.

2 red chillies.

2 1/2  cups of water

4 spoons of cooked Toor dhal.

1 Inch Piece of Tamarind.

1 Tsp Rasam Powder

Hing

Curry Leaves.

1 Lemon.

Salt

Cilantro / Curry Leaves to Garnish.

PREPARATION:

  • Chop the tomatillos in to little pieces so it saves cooking time. Dilute the cooked toor dhal in the 2 1/2 cups of water and set aside.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of ghee and when it is hot, add mustard. When the mustard splutters, add hing, curry leaves, red chillies, slit jalapenos, and finally the chopped tomatillos.
  • Allow to saute for a few minutes till the tomatillos are a little mushy.
  • Add 1 cup  of the dhal water at this stage and allow to simmer. Add salt, hing, Rasam powder and  turmeric.
  • After about ten  minutes, remove in a spoon, a few cooked pieces of tomatillos and crush them with a spoon in a cup. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of toor dhal water to the crushed tomatillos and pour it all back in to the kadai.
  • Allow the whole rasam to simmer and then switch off in about 15 minutes or so. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and curry leaves. Keep the rasam closed.
  • After the rasam has cooled down a bit,  squeeze the juice from the lemon and keep closed again until time to serve.
  • Serve HOT with Beans Poriyal or Pumpkin Poricha Kootu. Alu Fry is always the recommended option!!

NOTES:

  • The same rasam can be made with regular tomatoes too. I add a pinch of  tamarind to the dal water as it cooks.
  • Adjust the tartness based on the sourness of the Lemon/ lime etc.
  • For added taste,  you can zest the lemon a little bit after switching off the stove
  • Add a marble size of jaggery for added taste.

Let me know what you think! Did you try it?

Brisk Breakfast · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · No Need of Onions!!!

Venn Pongal.

Shoba16 Comments

Piping hot Venn Pongal.
Piping hot Venn Pongal.

Venn Pongal is a traditional south indian speciality that I have grown up with.  It`s the main Naivedhyam or offering for Pongal – the harvest festival celebrated in the month of January in all parts of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is basically rice and moong dal cooked to perfection and seasoned with ginger, pepper and cummin. It`s also reminscant of the fragrance of rich ghee and roasted cashew nuts.

Every hotel in Tamil Nadu, makes the most awesome Pongal  – Vada –  Chutney. Pongal is served steaming hot in a scoop, with a side of coconut chutney, a cup of Sambar  and 2 fresh crips vadas on the side. My all time favourite Pongal was  at Hotel Arya Bhavan in Madurai, very near the Meenakshi Amman temple and at Hotel Saravana Bhavan at Usman Road, T.Nagar. It`s a breakfast item that I can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner…..!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of Raw Rice.

1/3 cup of Moong Dal

2 Tsp Ginger Grated.

A pinch of Hing.

Pinch of turmeric

Salt to taste.

4 1/2 Cups Water.

Seasoning:

2 Tsp  Jeera.

2 Tsp Whole Black Pepper.

Curry Leaves

3-4 spoons of Ghee.

5-6 pieces of Cashew.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a dry wok and add a few drops of ghee and lightly roast the moong dal. Move to a cooker vessel.
  • Wash the rice and add it to the moong dal.
  • Add a spoon of ghee  to a kadai and and when hot, add the ginger, hing and turmeric.
  • Add it to the rice and moong dal. Pour 4 1/2 cups water, add sufficient salt , cook for 1 whistle and keep on sim for 10 minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and when the pressure is released, mash the cooked rice and dal.
  • In a wide mouthed kadai, add 3 Tsbp ghee.
  • Season with cashew nuts, curry leaves, jeera and black pepper.
  • Allow it to saute for a few seconds and then add the cooked rice and moong dal.
  • At this point, If you feel that the Pongal looks dry, add 1/3 cup of milk and a spoon of ghee and stir it in.
  • This makes the Pongal rich, creamy and very moist.
  • Switch off stove and serve piping hot with Sambar/ Coconut Chutney/ Onion Tomato Chutney or Milagu Kuzhambu.


Serving steaming hot Pongal to “Think Spice – Think Pepper” event hosted by Divya Vikram of Dil Se and started by Sunita.

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Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · Sweets

Succulent Gulab Jamuns.

Shoba18 Comments

Succulent Gulab Jamuns.
Succulent Gulab Jamuns.

Gulab Jamuns should probably be one of the most popular and easy to make sweets with the current variety of mixes and fast fix instructions. There are a myraid of brands which offer the Gulab Jamun mixes, like Orkay, MTR, Gits, Ashirwaad etc. Some how my favourite has always been Orkay and Gits. Since Gits is more easily available in the U.S, its a sweet I make in a jiffy.

Diwali during my student days was always a flurry of activities like making Mixture, Ribbon Pakoda, Laddoo, Badam Halwa, and Gulab Jamuns amoung other things. Making the jamuns was some thing that amma would leave entirely to me….At that time Archana Sweets in T.Nagar, became very popular and introduced the Kala Jamun. I guess it was a variant of the regular jamuns, only denser in taste and not dripping in sugar syrup. Mom would buy it for us and we would enjoy it at home, nevertheless, there is a particular joy in partaking of sweets borne of out one`s one labour and preparation.

This week was my husband`s birthday and my daughter wanted me to make it for him. ….Secretly I knew, she wanted to have it so I immediately indulged her in this sweet temptation. This goes to those novices who are out there, trying this for the first time….Enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Gits Gulab Jamun Mix.

1 spoon sour cream.

3 spoons of water.

1 1/2 cup of sugar dissolved in 2 cups of water.

Pinch of Rose Essence.

Pinch of Cardamom Powder.

Saffron Strands.

PREPARATION:

  • The secret of this sweet is in the mixing of the dough. Empty contents of packet in to  a bowl. Mostly the instructions are to measure out the amount of powder and use 1/4`th of that quantity of water. In this case, all you need to use is a spoon of sour cream or thick yoghurt and then 2-3 spoons of water.
  • Make the dough in to a thick ball and keep covered for 10 minutes.
  • Now grease your palm and make little balls and set aside covered.
  • Meanwhile dissolve the sugar in the water and place it on the stove .
  • Add rose water, cardamom powder and allow to boil for about ten minutes and switch off.
  • Meanwhile add sufficient oil in a kadai and allow to the oil to heat well.

Frying in the oil.
Frying in the oil.

  • Slowly roll in the gulab jamun balls and aloow to fry the balls in oil.
  • Now set the fried jamuns in a little bowl for them to cool off for a few seconds.

Allow to cool for a couple seconds.
Allow to cool for a couple seconds.

  • Slowly add the fried jamuns in to the rose syrup and allow it to soak before serving it to your guests.
  • Makes 20 gulab jamuns.
  • ENJOY!!!

Jamuns in Sugar Syrup.
Jamuns in Sugar Syrup.

Serving Suggestion based on popular demand!!! – Hot Jamuns with Vanilla Ice Cream….Oh yes!  and let the fun times begin!!!

Jamuns with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Jamuns with Vanilla Ice Cream.