GULABJAMUN

          

         

         Gulabjamun is the only sweetdish which is very well known and a popular dish all over India It is prepared in almost all function ,celebration and part. Gulab jamun is the shaan of all Indian bigfat weddings too ,but do you know this recipe has travelled miles from faraway countries. I know its very interesting and you all want to know its origin, so fastened your seat belts and come with me on a rollercoaster ride to know the journey of our own Gulab jamun to India . Most of the times we name a recipe by the key ingredients which we use while preparing the same, Gulab in hindi or marathi means rose but in Gulabjamun recipe there is absolutely no rose present in any form but still it is called as Gulabjamun. Then why do they call as Gulabjamun? actually its origin is based on a persian recipe named as Bamieh (persian doughnut dipped in sweet rosewater),in this recipe they use to make a dough of all purpose flour and milk powder deep fry them or bake it and then dip them in sweet rosewater syrup or saffron syrup. Bamieh was brought to India by Mughals and then it was named as Gulabjamun. Bamieh recipe travelled to India from persia but went through many changes in it, at first they boiled the milk till it solidifies and added rose petals into it same like "Kalakand" after that they tried making round balls of it and was bifurcated into spicy Gulabjamun and sweet Gulabjamun recipe. Then they tried one more recipe they boiled the milk till it solidifies and added rose petals grind the mixture then added cornstarch or all purpose flour then make round balls of the dough and deep fry them in clarrified butter and soak the fried balls into sugar syrup for 5 to 6 hours and serve them . 

           When Mughal empire was ruling India, Mughal emperor Shahjahan's use to organise a special dinner party called "Dawat" in which the vegetarian delegates were served with this special recipies in their respect and to make them feel rich. this was a special recipe of pulav (rice dish)and curry in which they used to add gulabjam deep fried into it. Once a big Dawat was organised by Shahjahaan for the Nizam of Hyderabad ,the preparation for this Dawat was going on and the head 'khansama' means the head cook kept this fried gulbjam in a big plate and by mistake the "chasnikaar" a desert making cook put this gulabjamuns in his sugarsyrup after they realise their mistake they removed the gulabjam and tasted the taste was superb. The Nizam wanted to taste a sweetdish before the dawat and the khansama was ready with his new invented dish. He gracefully presented his new sweetdish garnished with chopped rosepetals and presented in front of the nizam king. The Nizam was so delighted with this dish and he said "gazab ki cheez hai? Swad mein gulab aur Dikhti toh jamun jaise." Means he praised the recipe and said it tastes rose and it looks like blackberry, and at the same time the khansama named the recipe as 'Gulabjamun'. Once the Gulabjamun was invented the khansama started research on this recipe he removed rose from the recipe and tried adding kewda, saffron and cardamom and to look it appealing hi garnished it with silver work or golden work and topped it with finely sliced green pistachio and some strips of saffron which made it look very rich, and with so much of richness it straightly entered into the list of the best and rich deserts in the world. The invention didn't stopped here it was just the beginning, kalajamun was the new variation invented in the list of Gulabjamun Kalajamun was big round shape ball slightly black in colour which was dipped in sugar syrup and then strained it from the syrup and rolled in desiccated Coconut. The size of kalajamun was big so while frying the centre of the jamun was not getting properly cooked so the cook studied and he came with this mind blowing idea he inserted a sugarball in the centre of the kalajamun while rolling it in round ball shape, So that while frying because of outer heat the sugarball started dissolving and the centre of the jamun automatically get sweetened. Then they started adding saffron colour with the sugar ball so when we cut the jamun the centre of it was saffron colour. To bring that black colour of the outer covering it was fried on low flame in clarified butter or oil for a longer period ,but because of more of frying the solidified milk started getting burnt flavour. so the bengali cook started adding paneer to the solidified milk dough. They mixed both khawa and paneer in equal quantity and add a little bit of tapioca powder for binding the dough and then they make big round balls from that dough and deep fry them in oil or clarified butter and keep them aside after for 5 to 7 minutes and they they add the fried balls in the sugar syrup. The scientific reason behind this process was the fried jamun if directly added to sugar syrup after frying soaks the syrup immediately and it squeezes in size and the jamun gets harder the same thing happens with the gulabjamun. While deep frying Gulabjamun we have to keep the temperature of oil or clarified butter on medium flame and continuosly roll them up and down in the oil ,so that they fry from all sides and it doesn't burn and it gives beautiful golden brown colour to each and every jamun equally. In Nepal Gulabjamun's are known as "Lalmohan".  

        

            Gulabjamun is a favourite desert of India but it is very famous in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Dubai, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, fizi, Africa, Malaya, Peninsula, Trinidad, carabian country and Jamaica. Gulabjun is famous as South asian desert or sweet. Today we get readymade mix packets of Gulabjamun in the market evrywhere which makes easy for everyone to make Gulabjamun at home easily. Today hot Gulabjamun is served with vanilla ice cream in many parties and functions.a new recipe is in demand these days in which while preparing cake Gulabjamun are placed in the centre and the cake is baked so that while cutting the cake its a surprise package of soft melting Gulabjamun inside it. Here we complete our journey of Gulabjamun to India. writing this article i felt like i have eaten 15 to 20 Gulabjamun today hope you all enjoy this journey and may Gulabjamun live forever to sweetened your life .

Gourmet Chef Vishnu Manohar