These are very light, soft, sponge-like sweets soaked in a light, flavoured syrup. They are easy to make and a delicious conclusion to a spicy meal. Serve warm or cold.
Allow three to four per person and sprinkle with a little brandy for a really special sweet.
Makes 16.
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes approx.
For syrup:
8 oz (225g) granulated sugar
6 green cardamoms
4 cups water
For Jamons:
6 tablespoons full fat milk powder
2 tablespoons self-raising flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
A little cold milk to bind
Oil for deep frying
Put the sugar, cardamoms, and water into a pot and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the syrup for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile sift the milk powder and flour into a bowl. Add the melted butter and rub into mixture with fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the milk a little at a time, drawing in the mixture to form a soft dough.
Put the oil on to heat and divide the dough into 16 parts. Roll each one out in the palms of your hands into a little ball.
The syrup should be ready by now. Take it off the heat so that it may cool slightly before having the jamons out into it.
Test the oil by putting in one ball of dough. The oil must only just be hot enough to make the dough rise to the surface after a few seconds and to fry it very gently. Adjust as necessary.
When the oil is at the right heat, put in as many balls of dough as your pan or karahi will easily take.
Move the pan about carefully to keep the jamons moving until they rise to the surface of the oil.
When they are at the surface keep moving them about with a slotted spoon to ensure that they cook evenly.
The jamons will almost double in size as they are cooking and will turn a deep, golden brown colour. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
Drain on kitchen paper, allowing to cool for five minutes and drop them into the syrup.
The jamons will be very soft and easily broken until they have cooled, when the texture will become firmer.
Serve with a few tablespoons of the syrup for each person.
