Why I Started This Messy Project
Okay guys, so last Tuesday night I made chicken curry – the spicy kind, the one that burns your tongue even hours after eating. After that fire in my mouth, I desperately wanted something sweet. I remembered that cafe in Delhi years back… they served killer gulab jamun after curry. Magical combo. Figured, why not try making some Indian sweets right here in my tiny kitchen?
First attempt was… rough. Seriously, almost gave up. Those little milk balls? Forget it. Mixed maida flour and milk powder like the random blog said, thought “how hard could kneading be?”. Fingers stuck together like super glue. Added water, then too much flour… dough went from sticky mess to dry desert. Wasted half an hour just trying to make tiny balls that didn’t crack. Felt like Play-Doh gone wrong.
What Actually Worked (After Tears & Swearing)
Next day, went simpler. Rice pudding first. Needed something foolproof to rebuild my confidence.
- Poured a whole liter of milk into my biggest pot. Left it simmering forever. Almost boiled over twice.
- Threw in fistfuls of rice that were chilling in my cupboard. Stirred like crazy so it wouldn’t stick to the bottom. Arm got tired.
- Smashed cardamom pods with the back of a spoon – way more satisfying than I expected. Added them plus some sugar.
- Stared at it bubbling for ages. Kitchen smelled good at least. Finally, it thickened up. Poured in almonds I chopped kinda crooked. Boom – basic Kheer.
Tried the milk balls again later, with store-bought mix this time because my ego couldn’t handle another dough fight. Mix wasn’t perfect either – syrup turned out way too sticky. Like, spoon-got-stuck kind of sticky. Added a splash more water and boiled it again. Gulab Jamun looked wonky but tasted like happiness.
The Sweet Spot After Curry
Served that Kheer and the slightly ugly gulab jamun with last night’s leftover curry. You guys. Perfect. That cold, creamy Kheer? Killed the curry burn instantly. Soft, sweet gulab jamun? Like a warm hug for my angry stomach. Made the whole spicy ordeal feel worth it.
Learned: Indian desserts aren’t about being perfect. Messy dough? Fixable. Sticky syrup? Fixable. Burnt bits? Maybe just scrape off. That creamy-cool Kheer and squishy-sweet gulab jamun after a spicy kick? That’s the point. Keeps you coming back for more curry, honestly.
