Indo American News

Tag: Gulab Jamun

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Chawal di Kheer (Rice Pudding)

In cold weather, people like to huddle with sweets, nuts and wonderful aromas like this recipe which is the best way to usher in a New Year. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Chawal di Kheer recipe, which is a tasty sweet popular in many Indian restaurants and is delightful in any season. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.
Kheer has become a staple dessert in so many Indian restaurants South Asian restaurants, just like the equally popular ras malai (cottage cheese in creamed milk) that you can almost predict what’s on the menu. Part of the reason is that kheer is a simple and inexpensive dessert to make. But this does not mean that all restaurants make it equally well. Far too many make kheer with boiled rice soaked in a thin milky syrup, which does not do justice to this dessert.

To make tasty kheer that people will rave over, it has to be made properly: in a thick milk base (but not dry), with nuts and sprinkled with some cardamom powder for added flavor. Some people even make it in a slow cooker, though I prefer making it in a large pot where I can keep an eye on how it is coming along.

The term “kheer” comes from the Sanskrit word ksheeram (which means milk), but the dish is also known as payasam in South India or payesh in Bengal. The recipe for the popular English rice pudding is believed to have originated from kheer. Other types of kheer are made with broken wheat, sabudana (tapioca) or seviyan (vermicelli).

Kheer is found all over India, though the true North Indian version is made with ghee, rice, sugar, cardamom, raisins, kesar (saffron) and dried fruit in thickened milk. It is prepared for festivals, in temples and many special Hindu occasions though it is equally popular – especially the one made with vermicelli – among Muslims for Islamic celebrations.

Kheer has made a comeback as a chic dessert at wedding where the thickened variety is presented in small earthen dishes, garnished with strands of saffron, chopped almonds and pistachios and with a small piece of sona ka varak (gold film).

Ingredients:

• 4 cup doodh (milk) – whole is best, but low-fat will do too
• 1 cup chawal (rice)
• ¼ cup chinni (sugar)
• 2 tbsp condensed milk (if used, you can reduce the sugar)
• ¼ tsp ilachi powder (cardamom powder)
• Dry fruits to your taste: kishmish (raisans); badam (almonds – peeled and slivered); piste (pistachios – halved or pieces)

Directions:

1. Pour the milk in a large, open-faced pot (to avoid boiling over) and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, wash the rice in cold water and let it soak in the water.
3. Once the milk has come to boil, pour the rice through a strainer, then pour the rice into the milk. Stir occasionally to make sure the milk does not stick to the pot.
4. In a little while the milk will get thicker and the rice will mix well. Now, add the sugar (condensed milk if you like too) and throw in the dry fruits. The peeled, slivered almonds taste best.
5. Thicker kheer tastes best. It can be served hot, but most people prefer to eat it cold, so refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK:

MAKE SURE TO WASH DRIED METHI BEFORE USING IT

Some ingredients, like methi (fenugreek) are used in sparing quantities, as they bring added aroma and taste to any dish they are mixed in with. Also – again like methi – they are often expensive and difficult to buy in large quantities and then sort and clean before cooking. It has indeed a long time since I have had a dish of fresh methi and aaloo (potatoes); the last time may have been in India a few years ago.

Thankfully, methi can be picked and dried to use for another day, and has been available in small packets for years in many stores. To make tasty methi dishes, you only need a small quantity. However, when you start to use the packet methi, be sure to first clean it by washing it in cold water. Let the methi soak in a pot of water, then skim the floating pieces off the top. You’ll be surprised to see how much dirt settles to the bottom!

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi vegetarian recipes for future generations.

December 28, 2017
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Gulab Jamun (Rose Colored Fried Sweet Balls)

With the advent of cold weather, it is the season for sweets, nuts and wonderful aromas like this recipe which can fill any dining table for the Holidays. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Gulab Jamun recipe, which is a tasty sweet popular in many Indian restaurants and is especially delightful during the merry winter holiday season. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.

Invariably, every desi restaurant across the world offers at least these four choices of deserts: chawal ki kheer (rice pudding), ras malai (cheese patties in sweet cream), gajjar ka halwa (carrot pudding) and gulab jamun (rose colored fried sweet balls). You don’t even have to ask what the dessert menu is; these four will be there.

Each of these deserts has a different level of difficulty in preparation; but in my opinion, making delicious gulab jamun is the most difficult. They have to be soft, but not mushy; firm, but not hard and they have to soak in the chaasni (syrup) which should be sweet and just the right consistency, but not thin.

I remember an occasion when a friend was making gulab jamun for a party the next day. She used cold water to mix the dough, though I advised her not to, and then fried the round balls in hot oil. After frying them, she did not put them right away in the syrup; instead she waited till she had fried them all and kept them stacked in a tray, which made them hard as they cooled. Later she let them soak but the gulab jamun stayed hard as rocks! I even tried to steam them to soften them, but no avail. We finally had to throw them away!!

Gulab jamun is made mainly from freshly curdled milk, also known as khoya, and garnished with dried nuts like almonds or pistachios in the middle. The khoya is kneaded into a dough, with a pinch of flour; but these days many people use powdered milk instead as it is easier and cheaper to use. After the balls are fried, they are soaked in a light chaasni (syrup) flavored with green illachi (cardamom); gulab pani (rose water); kewra or kesar (saffron).

Gulab jamun was first brought to India by the invading Persians, and the word “gulab” is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and ab (water). Jamun is the Hindustani word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit that is purple and has a similar size and shape. It is a dessert eaten often at festivals and special occasions like weddings, Eid or Diwali.

Gulab jamun are usually brownish red in color because of the sugar content in the milk powder or khoya. If the sugar is added to the batter, it will get caramelized, giving them an almost black color, and are called kala jamun (black jamun).

Ingredients:
• 4 cups full-fat milk powder
• 1 cup maida (self-rising flour)
• 2 cups bariq chinni (fine sugar)
• 1 cup makhan (butter) – you can also use vegetable oil
• 1 cup pani (water)
• 1 tspn chotti illachi (small cardamom) powder
• Pinch of kesar (saffron) – to taste

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the milk powder, self-rising flour then mix in the oil and milk. Knead till it becomes a semi soft dough. Leave aside for at least 15 minutes.
2. To make the chaasni (syrup), in a saucepan, mix in the sugar into the water, then place it over medium heat to boil for 5 minutes and dissolve, then turn the heat off. If you want, throw in the cardamom and saffron for taste.
3. Pour the oil in a wide kadai (wok) and place over high heat then turn to medium heat after 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pinch off a little bit of the dough and make into 3/4 inch round balls in the palms of your hands, placing them on a plate. Coat your hands with some vegetable oil so that the ball will not stick.
5. Gently slide the balls into the hot oil and stir till they are brown all the way around. Take them out and then gently drop them into the chaasni.
6. After all the jamun are made, leave in a bowl with the syrup and serve at room temperature or, for better flavor, serve warm.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK: DON’T COOK WITH INGREDIENTS RIGHT OUT OF THE FRIDGE!

When cooking, it is best to take the ingredients out of the fridge either the night before or at least a few hours in advance so that they can come to room temperature. If you use them from the fridge, like cold milk or cold water, to make dough for gulab jamun, for example, the atta (flour) will bind together too closely and then the jamun will turn out hard. In the same way, when cooking thinning down daals (lentils) or other curries, cold water will reduce their taste and consistency: it is better to warm the water up before.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi vegetarian recipes for future generations.

December 21, 2017
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Gulab Jamun (Rose Colored Fried Sweet Balls)

Invariably, every desi restaurant across the world offers at least these four choices of deserts: chawal ki kheer (rice pudding), ras malai (cheese patties in sweet cream), gajjar ka halwa (carrot pudding) and gulab jamun (rose colored fried sweet balls). You don’t even have to ask what the dessert menu is; these four will be there.

Each of these deserts has a different level of difficulty in preparation; but in my opinion, making delicious gulab jamun is the most difficult. They have to be soft, but not mushy; firm, but not hard and they have to soak in the chaasni (syrup) which should be sweet and just the right consistency, but not thin.

I remember an occasion when a friend was making gulab jamun for a party the next day. She used cold water to mix the dough, though I advised her not to, and then fried the round balls in hot oil. After frying them, she did not put them right away in the syrup; instead she waited till she had fried them all and kept them stacked in a tray, which made them hard as they cooled. Later she let them soak but the gulab jamun stayed hard. I even tried to steam them to soften them, but no avail.

Gulab jamun is made mainly from freshly curdled milk, also known as khoya, and garnished with dried nuts like almonds or pistachios in the middle. The khoya is kneaded into a dough, with a pinch of flour; but these days many people use powdered milk instead as it is easier and cheaper to use. After the balls are fried, they are soaked in a light chaasni (syrup) flavored with green illachi (cardamom); gulab pani (rose water); kewra or kesar (saffron).

Gulab jamun was first brought to India by the invading Persians, and the word “gulab” is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and ab (water). Jamun is the Hindustani word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit that is purple and has a similar size and shape. It is a dessert eaten often at festivals and special occasions like weddings, Eid or Diwali.

Gulab jamun are usually brownish red in color because of the sugar content in the milk powder or khoya. If the sugar is added to the batter, it will get caramelized, giving them an almost black color, and are called kala jam (black jamun).

Ingredients :
4 cups full-fat milk powder
1 cup maida (self-rising flour)
2 cups bariq chinni (fine sugar)
1 cup makhan (butter) – you can also use vegetable oil
1 cup pani (water)
1 tspn chotti illachi (small cardamom) powder
Pinch of kesar (saffron) – to taste

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the milk powder, self-rising flour then mix in the oil and milk. Knead till it becomes a semi soft dough. Leave aside for at least 15 minutes.
2. To make the chaasni (syrup), in a saucepan, mix in the sugar into the water, then place it over medium heat to boil for 5 minutes and dissolve, then turn the heat off. If you want, throw in the cardamom and saffron for taste.
3. Pour the oil in a wide kadai (wok) and place over high heat then turn to medium heat after 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pinch off a little bit of the dough and make into 3/4 inch round balls in the palms of your hands, placing them on a plate. Coat your hands with some vegetable oil so that the ball will not stick.
5. Gently slide the balls into the hot oil and stir till they are brown all the way around. Take them out and then gently drop them into the chaasni.
6. After all the jamun are made, leave in a bowl with the syrup and serve at room temperature.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK

DON’T COOK WITH INGREDIENTS RIGHT OUT OF THE FRIDGE!

When cooking, it is best to take the ingredients out of the fridge either the night before or at least a few hours in advance so that they can come to room temperature. If you use them from the fridge, like cold milk or cold water, to make dough for gulab jamun, for example, the atta (flour) will bind together too closely and then the jamun will turn out hard. In the same way, when cooking thinning down daals (lentils) or other curries, cold water will reduce their taste and consistency: it is better to warm the water up before.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

January 22, 2016