Kalo Jaam / Kala Jamun

Kala Jamuns are black-colored sweet dumplings very similar to gulab jamuns or Bengali Pantua, made from Chenna, khoya and flour. Like Gulab Jamuns, Kalo Jam or Kala Jamuns are deep-fried, cardamom flavored, soaked in sugar syrup and tasted heavenly in the mouth. 

Kalo Jam is a traditional as well as very popular sweet in India and other parts of the subcontinent.

I made these sweets during last year's Diwali. Generally, whenever I have spare time, I love to try new recipes, click the photos and save it in the draft. But feels lazy whenever it comes to write about the recipe. One of my resolutions for this New year, is to try to finish up all the recipes that were in my draft. :-) 

Recipe of Kalo Jam / Kala Jamun :

Ingredients:

For Khoya

Milk Powder: 1 cup

Heavy Cream: 1/2 cup

For Chhana

Milk: 2 liters

Lime juice: of a big lime and mix it with 1 tbsp water. ( you can use vinegar in the place of lime juice ) 

Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Cardamom - 4-5 ( crushed)

For the dough

Channa: 2 cups

Khoya: 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 pinch

All purpose flour - 2 tablespoons

Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Ghee/ Clarified butter - 1 tablespoon

Oil - for deep- frying

Method

First Step - Making the Khoya

( You can skip the first step if you use ready-made khoya )

1. Add 1 cup of milk powder and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to a small bowl. Mix it well. Then micro-cook the mixture for 3 minutes.

2. In each 30 seconds, stir it and check it to prevent burning at the bottom. Increase or decrease the cooking time to get the desired consistency. Home-made Khoya would be ready in a few minutes.

Second Step - Making the Chhana or Cottage Cheese at home

1. Boil the milk in a big pan, stir continuously. Once the milk starts boiling, lower the flame.

2. Pour the lemon juice. Stir the milk. Once the milk starts curdling and changes into chhana (cottage cheese) and greenish water, remove the pan from heat.

3. Leave the chhana / cottage cheese in this condition for 5-7 minutes.

4. Put the chenna iover a soft cotton cloth / or a cheese cloth. Let all the water drain away. Now put this cloth along with the chhana under cold running water for 2-3 minutes.

5. This will help to remove the smell of lemon.  Hang the chhana along with the cloth on the kitchen faucet for about 45 minutes.

6. Now once again, squeeze the cloth if there is any extra water. Try to get rid of as much water as possible but note that the chhana (cottage cheese) should not get too dry.

Third Step: Making the Sugar Syrup

1. Mix the sugar and water and heat up till it comes to boiling state.

2. Add the crushed cardamoms, lower the gas.

Final step:

1. Mash the Khoya on a flat surface until it becomes smooth. Mash the Chhana same way once it becomes very smooth and oily.

2. Add the baking powder, flour, cardamom powder and ghee (clarified butter) in the chhana and again knead it.

3. Add the khoya to the chhana, mix it together.  Knead it well with your palm till there would be no lump in it.

4. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Now make 20 equal sized balls out of the dough and give them a smooth shape.

5. Heat the oil, once it is ready, turn off the gas for 1 minute. Turn on again and keep the flame on its lowest settings. 

6. Place the Kala Jamuns in the frying pan. Remember Kala jamuns will expand in about one and half the size, so give them enough space to expand, and don’t overcrowd them.

7. Fry them in very low temperature till they get dark brown in color. But don't over fry them. Once they are done take it out from the oil and let it cool completely. 

8. Turn on the gas. Fry the balls again on high temperature for 1 to 2 minutes ( but not more than 2 minutes )  till they will turn into the black in color. But you should remember that do not fry those Jamuns for a long time on high temperature. It will be burned, and the outer part will be hard and they will not soak the syrup. 

9. Take them out from oil and put it in the hot syrup. The kala jamuns should sit in the hot syrup for at least 30 to 40 minutes prior to serving. Serve hot. 

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