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Traveling Chef and her journey 🥰

ആ പത്ത് ദിവസങ്ങൾ ഷെഫ് സിനിമയിലേക്കുള്ള എൻട്രൻസായിരുന്നു! ഭക്ഷണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് എന്തു ചെയ്താലും വിജയിക്കും എന്ന ആത്മവിശ്വാസം ചെറുപ്പം മുതൽ കൂടെയുള്ള വ്യക്തിയാണ് സ....

GULAB JAMUNS!!
We can't separate this dish from a household name to being found in the most exquisite menus in the country.
It is definitely an inseparable part of any special occasion in the lives of any Indian family, from birthdays to weddings.
BUT DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW WHERE THIS DISH ACTUALLY ORIGINATES FROM?
These sinful fried sweets that smell of milk and caramelised sugar... well there are 2 theories that exist, gladly only 2 despite, being more than 300-400 years old.
There's one theory that says it was created accidentally by Shah Jahan's royal chef and he took inspiration from the dish Bamieh made by the Persian halwais (sweetmakers)
Another folklore says it has an uncanny resemblance with an Arabic dessert Luqmat al qadi, maybe the exchange of customs and cultures led to this finally evolved Gulab Jamun that we see in our homes and parties so often now.
The word Gulab is taken from the Persian words, Gol(flower) ab(water), referring to the rose flavoured syrup and Jamun, its similar in size and shape to the Indian fruit Jamun(black plum)
But Culinary historian Micheal Krondi says that both the Gulab Jamun and the Luqmat could have been derived from the Persian dish as there was a common connection of rosewater between the two.
WHEN WE DISCUSS GULAB JAMUNS WE MUSTN'T FORGET IT'S VERY ILLUSTRIOUS EXTENDED FAMILY - THE KALA JAMUN, THE KATANGI, THE PANTUA AND LEDIKENI SPECIALITIES OF BENGAL, THERE'S EVEN A GULAB JAMUN KI SABZI MADE IN RAJASTHAN, THAT'S COOKED IN NUTS AND TOMATO GRAVY.

Well, have a Gulab Jamun Day!!

Image: Food Styling done for a VEG MANTRA, Calicut. Vegmantra