Bengali
Kalo Jaam
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Serves: 2–4 people
Authenticity Slice
While frying the jamun keep the flame low, as on high heat, the outer layer will cook fast but the jamun will remain uncooked on the inside.
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Trivia Tadka
Not so distant cousin of gulab jamun, kalo jaam or kala jamun is a popular paneer-based Bengali dessert made from freshly curdled milk. Kala jamuns are larger and darker than gulab jamuns and have an additional ingredient—khoya.
Ingredients
- Khoya (1 cup)
- Paneer (1/2 cup)
- Refined wheat flour (maida) (2 tbsp)
- Cardamom powder (elaichi) (1/2 tsp)
- Milk to bind (1 tbsp)
- Sugar (2 cup)
- Saffron (kesar) (2–3 strands)
- Rose essence (a few drops)
- Desi ghee (for deep-frying)
Method
- In a bowl, grate khoya and paneer and mix well.
- Add maida and elaichi powder to the mix and mash thoroughly till everything combines well. If dry, add a few drop of milks to bind it together.
- To prepare the sugar syrup, combine sugar and water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer till the syrup reaches a single thread consistency.
- To check consistency, lengthen the syrup between your forefinger and thumb.
- When you have a single thread, switch off the heat.
- Add kesar and the essence and store well.
- Make small kalo jaams from the dough; make sure there are no cracks in the surface.
- Heat desi ghee in a kadhai, and drop the balls in, fry till golden brown.
- Add the fried kalo jaam to the sugar syrup immediately. Soak for a while.
- The Bengali delicacy is ready to be served.
