Gulab Jamun

To prepare the sugar syrup, take sugar in a deep flat-bottomed pan. Add water and bring this mixture to boil over a high flame.

When it comes to boil, reduce the flame to medium and cook until the sugar syrup is a little sticky or forms a one string consistency. Stir it occasionally in between. (It will take around 10-12 minutes over a medium flame.)

Add in lemon juice, turn off the flame and keep it aside. Once it becomes a little cool, sieve it in a serving bowl, then add in the elaichi and kevra essence.

To prepare the gulab jamuns, crumble the mava with your hands in a big vessel/utensil. Then add the sifted maida in it. Mix it well by gently adding baking soda, then knead all of them together until a smooth dough is prepared. (If required add a few teaspoons of milk to knead and form a smooth and soft dough.)

Divide the dough into 20 equal parts or more. (Do not make very large balls because they will increase in size after deep frying and soaking it in the syrup.)

Grease your hands with ghee or oil, take one part out of the divided parts and flatten it a little. Then fill one raisin and elaichi/cardamom in it and make a smooth ball.

Similarly make balls of all the dough. (Make sure that there is no crack on the surface of the balls because this will make the jamuns crack open while deep frying.)

Heat ghee or oil in a pan on a medium flame. When the ghee is medium hot deep-fry them over a low to medium flame till it's light and golden brown in colour. Deep fry them until they turn golden brown in colour.

Then drain and transfer them over a kitchen napkin and let them cool for 5-minutes. (Do not add them directly into warm sugar syrup. Add the fried balls into warm sugar syrup (not hot). If you add them into hot syrup, they will shrink in size.)

Soak them in the syrup for at least 4 to 5 hrs for best results. You will see the jammuns increase to almost double of it's size.

The gulab jamuns are ready to be served. Serve them warm or chilled.