Shakkarkand Jamun

Shakkarkand Jamun, I am afraid they are addictive and highly irresistible, there are no words to describe that these sinful sweet potato balls of sweetness are the clear aroma of saffron and kewra water, they instantly melt in your mouth giving you sensational pleasure!

Sweet Potato Jamuns are originally a Bengali version of Gulab Jamun, lovingly known as Mishti aloo'r Pantua or Ranga aloo'r Pantua. Before making them I googled to find out more about this recipe and found few versions of it, also I came to know that this recipe can be prepared with or without any dairy products and they can be filled with nuts or milk solids ( khoya ).

I added little bit of twist in this original recipe, with a little desiccated coconut along with crushed nuts in making balls and in sugar syrup, in went some Kewra ( Pine screw ) water instead of rose water. Instead of boiling sweet potato, I microwave them without any water, reason for doing this that sweet potato are almost without any moisture thus less plain flour goes in the dough. The flavour of kewra added is so A M A Z I N G ! Crunchiness of the nuts and flavour of the coconut was beautiful, almost took away all the heaviness and felt little lighter on the stomach too.

You will need :- Sweet Potato Balls

• 4 medium size sweet potatoes
• 2-3 tbsp. plain flour or more or less depends of how much moisture there is in sweet potatoes
• 8-10 tbsp. khoya or full fat milk powder recipe here
• 2-3 tbsp. desiccated coconut ( optional )
• 1 tbsp. semolina
• ½ tsp. cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped nuts ( I used almonds and pistachios ) almost like powder
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of baking powder
• Sunflower oil for deep frying

You will need :- Kewra Sugar Syrup

• 600-650 g sugar
• 800 ml water
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• Pinch of saffron threads
• Pinch of cardamom powder

You will need :- Garnishing

• Choped nuts
• Few strands of saffron ( optional )

Method :- Syrup

Place sugar and water in a big pan and bring it to boil.
Keep stirring and let the sugar dissolves.
After 10-12 minutes syrup will get it little thicker.
The syrup is done when , while dropping from a spoon it falls in a thin single thread.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder and saffron.
After it comes to a room temperature add kewra water to it and leave it aside for later use.
Method :- Sweet Potato Balls

Wash sweet potato thoroughly and pierce with fork or sharp knife.
Place them on a M/W proof plate and cook 12-15 minutes or until the flesh is thoroughly cooked and tender.
Let it cool little and remove skin, mash them with a potato masher or by hand.
Sweet potato mash should be without any lumps.
Now add all the other ingredients except oil.
Mix all the ingredients and form a soft dough. ( I did not need any water or milk )
Leave it aside for few minutes, once again knead the dough for a few seconds.
Now make a golf size balls of even size.
Heat sunflower oil well.
Switch of the heat and cool a little.
Let in some of the jamuns(3-4), when they rise up put back on heat and fry them on a slow heat till medium brown.
Remove from the oil and pierce them with fine needle and put them in Sugar syrup to soak.
Repeat for all the jamuns.
let it soak for 6-7 hours and serve.
Enjoy !