Gulab Jamun with Coconut Milk Powder and Whole Wheat Flour

Ingredients

For the Jamun

Milk Powder - 1/2 cup
Coconut Milk Powder - 1/2 cup
Whole Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup
Baking Soda - 1 pinch
Ghee - 1 to 2 tsp
Curd - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 1 pinch
Oil or Ghee - To deep fry

For the Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 1-1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup
Elaichi Powder - 1 tsp
Lime Juice - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - 1 tiny pinch


Procedure

To make Sugar Syrup

Add sugar and water in a medium sized bowl and allow to boil for 5 to 10 minutes on a medium flame.

When it reaches a sticky consistency, add elaichi powder, lime juice, and salt.  Switch off and keep aside closed.

To make the jamuns

In a bowl, mix together milk powder, coconut milk powder, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cardamom powder and ghee until well combined.

Add curd little by little and knead to a soft, little sticky, and smooth dough.

Make even sized balls out of this dough.  Apply ghee in your palms to roll out the balls.  The balls should be smooth and crack free, else they break while deep frying.

Heat oil or ghee in a kadai on medium low flame.

When it is moderately hot, deep fry the jamun balls to golden brown stirring in between.

Add the hot fried jamuns to the hot sugar syrup and set aside for 2 hours.  Keep closed.

The jamuns would have become double sized and ready to be served chilled or as such.

The coconut milk powder added in the jamuns gives an extra flavor for coconut lovers.

Notes:

I used whole wheat flour without sieving.  This gave a slightly coarse texture to the jamuns though it was good taste and soft too.  If you want it really smooth, sieve the whole wheat flour and use.  The original recipe calls for use of maida instead of whole wheat flour.

Elaichi powder can be replaced with nutmeg powder or rose essence.

I used KLF coconut milk powder 25 gm sachet (1/3 cup) and adjusted measurements of other ingredients accordingly.  For this quantity, I got around 12-14 gulab jamuns.

Raw Banana Peel Stir Fry/Ethakka Tholi Thoran

Source:

Sachu's Kitchen


Ingredients:

Raw Banana Peel (finely chopped) - 1 cup

Buttermilk - 1 tbsp

Van payar/Thatta payar (Red Cow Beans) - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Grated Coconut - 2 to 3 tbsp

Green Chillies - 3 (medium)

Small Onions - 1 or 2

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Coriander Leaves (chopped finely) - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 to 3 tsp

Lemon Juice - Few drops


Method:

1.  Mix buttermilk with around 2 cups of water and wash the chopped banana peel in this.

2.  Strain and pressure cook the chopped banana peel, washed vanpayar, turmeric powder in little water for 10 minutes (3 to 4 whistles).

3.  Once done, strain off the excess water and keep aside.

4.  Grind together coarsely the grated coconut, cumin seeds, curry leaves, small onions, and green chillies.  Do not add water to grind.

5.  In a kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, ural dhal, and asafoetida.

6.  To this, add the cooked banana peel and beans.  Saute for a minute or so.

7.  Add the coarsely ground coconut mixture along with salt and mix well.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

8.  Once done, switch off the gas and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and lime juice and mix.

This is a best accompaniment for hot steaming rice.

This is a very common and famous dish in the Kerala cuisine.  Though you can use any raw banana peel, the peel of nendhran kaai is tastier when used in this recipe.