Sweet & Snack - Gulab Jamun and Jantikalu

Today I am blogging on a tasty yummylicious sweet and snack recipe. Having a small snack between meals is always healthy and is recommendable too. Nowadays there are many packaged sweets and snacks are available in supermarkets, but home-made snacks are always healthy, hygienic and good in taste too. Kids always love to have snacks in the evening time after school. It is highly advisable to give them healthy nutritious snacks instead of offering junk food to children which mainly causes obesity problems in children. Nowadays doctors too recommend having some small snacks between meals. Today I am blogging a very simple to make and tastes delicious sweet "Gulab jamun" and the queen of Andhra pindivantalu "Jantikalu" a traditional homemade snack made with flour. In Andhra in any auspicious occasion or picnic or family gettogether is never complete without this crunchy treat and sweet.

Ingredients for Gulab Jamun :
Gulab jamun powder (Instant powder): 200 gms
Oil: for deep frying
For Sugar syrup :
Sugar        :    3 cups
Water:    2 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder:     3-4spoon
Method :
1. Take a wide bowl, mix well gulab jamun powder ( I used MTR Gulab Jamun powder)to remove lumps.
2. Then add water( as per instructions on the pack) and make a soft dough. Keep aside for a few minutes.
3. Make small equal size balls without any cracks.
4. heat oil in a pan, fry these gulab jamun balls in oil on medium flame. Keep stirring gently continuous so that the inside of the gulab jamun will also get cooked well.
5. Remove it with a slotted ladle when it becomes dark brown in colour.
6. Let it cool for some time
7. Take a wide pan to add sugar, water and cardamom powder.
8. Boil it till sugar dissolves in water and syrup become sticky. Keep it aside.
9. Put the fried gulab jamun balls in warm sugar syrup. Let it soak in sugar syrup for half an hour. so that the balls absorb the sugar syrup.
9. Serve hot or cold !! Make this dessert today and enjoy !!!!

Ingredients to make Jantikalu :
Chick pea flour                     :      2 cups
Biyyampindi / Rice flour: 1 1/4 cup
Red chilli powder  :  1 table spoon
Salt:  to taste
ajwain ( crushed or powdered):  1/2 spoon
Oil:   for deep frying.
Method :
1. Take a wide bowl, add besan(senagapindi), Rice flour(biyyampindi), salt, red chilli powder,ajwain(vaamu) and mix well.
2. Add water slowly little by little to make a soft dough. Just make it soft then it will be pressed easily through jantikalu press.
3. Heat a wide heavy bottomed vessel with sufficient oil for deep frying. Take Jantikalu press,fill half of the press with dough.
4. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium, then press the jantikalu press using a circular motion to make concentric layers of dough. Fry these jantikalu circles on medium flame till it turns a golden colour, then turn over the other side and fry it till it gets golden color and crispy.
5. Remove it with a slotted ladle and spread on absorbent paper and allow to cool.
6. Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough is done. Store it in airtight steel containers.