Zauq E Shahi Recipe / Mini Gulab Jamun In Rabri / Fried Khoya ( Milk Solid ) Balls In Very Thick Milk

Zauk E Shahi translates to Royal Taste. This dessert from the Awadhi Cuisine treasure trove combines the very popular Gulab Jamun with the quintessential Rabri. While trying to trace the history of the Gulab Jamun, I came across this very interesting story of it's nemesis. I am not sure whether this is a folklore or there is some truth in it. Nonetheless since I was fascinated with the story, I had to share it with you my wonderful readers. 

Long long ago in one princely state of India was a King, in whose court a gentleman from another kingdom came to visit. This gentleman carried with him a bagful of a delicious fruit which was native to his kingdom. This fruit was the Indian Java Plum or Jamun. Upon tasting this fruit, his majesty fell instantly in love with the Jamun fruit and requested the gentleman that he should send him some seeds so that Jamun trees could flourish in his kingdom and could be enjoyed by His Majesty. As promised Jamun seeds were sent, but alas the soil and the weather was not conducive for growing Jamun and the seeds never flourished into Jamun trees nor produced any Jamun fruit.

Utterly disappointed, his Majesty was very sad that he would no longer be able to taste the fruit he loved so much. This news spread throughout the Kingdom and into the Royal kitchen. Now the head chef there was very fond of his Majesty. So he crafted with creativity and skill a sweet which would come as close as possible in look to the Jamun Fruit. To give the sweet the same juiciness as the fruit, the Sweet Jamuns were submerged in a rose or Gulab perfumed sugar syrup. Thus the nomenclature, from the Jamun fruit came the word Jamun and since Gulab Jal or Rose Water was used to make the sugar syrup fragrant, hence Gulab was used in the nomenclature of the sweet as well. Voila we had a delicious sweet called Gulab Jamun.

In Zauq E Shahi the Gulab Jamuns are served in a bowl of Rabri. Rabri is MILK simmered on slow flame till it reduces to 1/4th of it's original quantity. So 40 kg Milk will yield 10 Kg Rabri. Rabri is truly decadent with the layers of the Milk fat which forms at the top of the boiling Milk and stays in the Rabri as the milk reduces. In Zauq E Shahi, the Gulab Jamuns are smaller in size and are generally stuffed with pistachios and poppy seeds. This is a very indulgent and rich dessert and so befitting to be served during festivities, weddings and other celebrations. Serving Zauq E Shahi is like serving a piece of your tradition in a bowl.

As Zauq E Shahi has two components namely the gulab jamun and rabri, so both of them have to be made separately and then assembled together. So also I will show you how to make both Gulab Jamun and Rabri separately below. Also these two can also be served as Individual desserts. Let's then have a look at the ingredients.

Zauq E Shahi Recipe / Mini Gulab Jamuns In Rabri / Fried Khoya ( Milk Solid ) Balls In Very Thick Milk ~

AUTHOR ~ PIYALI MUTHA

SERVES ~ 4

CUISINE ~ AWADHI / INDIAN

TYPE ~ DESSERT 

RABRI RECIPE ~

TIME ~ 1 HOUR COOKING FOR 2 LTR MILK, MORE FOR MORE QUANTITY OF MILK

INGREDIENTS ~

2 Ltr. Full Cream Milk

400 Gm. Condensed Milk

6~8 Strands Saffron

4~5 Green Cardamom, crushed

10 ~ 12 Pistachios, for garnishing

Let's Make Rabri In Easy Steps ~

1) Pour Milk in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer.

2) When the milk has reduced to 1/2 it's original quantity, add Condensed Milk. Stir and mix well. Scrape the sides of the sauce pan from time to time.

3) When Milk reduces to 1/4th of it's original quantity, add Saffron.

NOTE ~ Always powder the saffron strands by placing them on the palm of one hand and crushing them with the thumb of the other hand. Boil the powered saffron strands in 5 ~ 6 Tbsp water till you get a nice orangish yellow colour.

4) Add crushed Green Cardamom. Mix and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from flame. Garnish with pistachios. Serve either hot or cold. No added sugar in my recipe, as the sweetness imbibed from the condensed milk is enough for my family. But if you wish to sweeten it more, add the sweetener of your choice. Keep aside.

Gulab Jamun Recipe ~

YIELDS ~ 24 ~ 25 MARBLE SIZED GULAB JAMUN

TIME ~ 10 MINUTES PREPARATION + 30 MINUTES COOKING + 6 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT SOAKING TIME

INGREDIENTS ~

FOR THE GULAB JAMUNS / DEEP FRIED MILK SOLID BALLS ~

250 Gms. Khoya, milk solid

3 Tbsp Refined Flour / Maida

1 Tbsp Roasted Semolina

1/4 th Tsp Baking Powder

15 Pistachios, chopped for stuffing

Oil or Ghee / Clarified Butter to deep fry the Gulab Jamuns

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP~

3 Cups Sugar

1 1/2 Cup Water

4 Green Cardamon, crushed

LET'S MAKE THE SUGAR SYRUP IN EASY STEPS ~

1) Take a sauce pan. Add water and sugar.

2) Stir gently, till sugar dissolves. Let the sugar syrup boil for 10 minutes. 

3) After 10 minutes, take a drop of the Sugar Syrup in a bowl. When it is cool enough to handle, touch the drop with your thumb. Touch your first finger to your thumb. If it feels sticky, your sugar syrup is ready. Add crushed Green Cardamom. Stir. Remove from flame.

4) If not boil for some more time and repeat the above step 3). Switch off the flame. Keep your Sugar Syrup warm.

NOTE ~ The sugar syrup drop should be just sticky. It should not form any string, when you take your first finger away from your thumb.

LET'S MAKE GULAB JAMUN IN EASY STEP ~

1) In a plate take Khoya, Refined Flour, Roasted Semolina, Baking Powder. Mix everything together and knead the mixture into a smooth, soft dough.

NOTE ~ ** If using homemade khoya, you may add another Tbsp of Refined Flour if you are unable to make a smooth soft dough

                 ** If using Store bought Khoya, grate the Khoya first and if the mixture is too crumbly then add little water or milk slowly to bring everything together into a smooth dough 

2) Divide the dough into equal parts. Flatten out the small part of the dough,stuff pistachios. Roll each part between your palms to make smooth, crack free balls.

3) Heat Oil. Keep flame to medium. When the oil is medium hot, add a tiny ball of the dough into the oil. Stir very gently the oil and do not touch the gulab jamun. If the test Gulab jamun doesn't break while frying, then you know your Gulab Jamun is good to go. But if the Gulab Jamun breaks, then add 1 Tbsp Refined Flour and try again.

3) Now add the first batch of Gulab Jamuns. Please note that your Gulab Jamun should be submerged in oil or ghee.

NOTE ~ ** Keep the temperature of the oil moderate during frying. If the temperature is not regulated, then the outer surface of the Gulab Jamun will turn brown without the core getting cooked.

                 ** Do not touch the Gulab Jamun Balls while frying them. Instead stir the oil gently and rotate the balls along with oil so that the Gulab Jamun balls do not break and get fried to a lovely golden brown colour evenly.

** Fry the Gulab Jamun until golden brown allover.   

4) Take out the Gulab Jamun Balls from oil and transfer them into the warm Sugar Syrup

Let them soak in the sugar syrup for a minimum of 6 hours, even better overnight.

After 6 hours your Gulab Jamun is ready to serve. This method if followed to the T results in the softest Gulab Jamun.

Zauq E Shahi Recipe ~

SERVES ~ 4

TIME ~ 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS ~

Rabri from 2 Ltr Milk

24 ~ 25 Gulab Jamuns

Nuts, Saffron Strands & Edible Rose Petals, for garnishing

LET'S MAKE ZAUQ E SHAHI IN EASY STEPS ~

1) Take a large bowl or individual serving bowls.

2) Spoon Rabri into the bowl.

3) Place the Gulab Jamun on the Rabri. You can spoon some more rabri on the Gulab jamuns.

4) Garnish with Nuts, Saffron strands and edible rose petals.

Zauq E Shahi or Royal Taste is ready to serve. Totally befitting any festive celebration, this is dessert indulges your taste buds and transports them into a joyous fiesta. Serve them hot or cold. Tastes divine either ways.

Recipe courtesy ITC HOTELS, India

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