Gulab Jamun – How to Eat Gulab Jamuns

How to Eat Gulab Jamun by Vikram Karve 

Every time I embark on a Food-Walk (which happens almost every evening) – I search for good food – and for the last few days I am searching for a good Gulab Jamun – but – sadly – I have not found even one place in Pune where you get top class Gulab Jamuns. 

I am craving for a succulent juicy Gulab Jamun. 

So – let me delve deep into my Foodie Archives – and pull out for you this Mouthwatering Gulab Jamun Memory.

This is probably my first Foodie Blog Post and features in my book of Foodie Adventures  APPETITE FOR A STROLL

I wrote this 16 years ago – in the year 2000 – after relishing some delicious Gulab Jamuns.

Read on and Enjoy Your Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun

HOW TO EAT GULAB JAMUN

Musings on The Art of Eating

By
VIKRAM KARVE

I spent 6 of the best years of my life – from 2000 to 2006 – in Mumbai.

I lived in a wonderful building called Empress Court opposite the Oval near Churchgate.

Every evening I went on long walks – mostly on Marine Drive to Chowpatty and back – and sometimes towards Colaba.

The highlight of my Colaba Causeway walk was a visit to “Kailash Parbat” for their succulent Gulab Jamuns.

I wrote this mouthwatering foodie memoir in the year 2000 – immediately after I returned after relishing Gulab Jamuns at Kailash Parbat in Colaba in Mumbai – while the taste of the delicious delicacy still lingered on my tongue.

 

Even now – I can visualize those delicious soft succulent juicy tempting hot Gulab Jamuns and my mouth waters in anticipation. 

Sadly – I am in Pune– and hence I will have to relish those sumptuous Gulab Jamuns in my imagination.

So – Dear Reader – let me recall one of my first lip smacking blog posts – a mouthwatering Mumbai memory – written more than 16 years ago on: HOW TO EAT A GULAB JAMUN 

ART OF EATING

The Art of Eating comprises 3 cardinal steps:

1. First you come to know about good food

You hear from someone about a a good foodie place and its signature dish – you read about it somewhere – or come across it while browsing the internet – or from TV – or while watching a foodie show on TV – or read a food review on the media – or from a foodie group on the social media – or even from a menu card dropped in your home along with your newspaper.

2. Next you go there and observe people eating

Yes – you go to the foodie place and observe foodies relishing the delectable cuisine you have heard about so much – and you see the way they are eating and enjoying themselves. 

You watch the heavenly expression of divine pleasure on their faces. 

This tempts you to taste and savor the cuisine yourself.

3. Then you actually order the food and eat it

Yes – you order the dish of your dreams – which you have been yearning for so much – and delicately put a piece of the yummy food in your mouth – and experience the pleasures of eating the delicacy – firsthand.

HOW TO EAT GULAB JAMUN

One evening I suddenly feel an urge – a craving – a desperate sort of yearning – for my favourite sweet – GULAB JAMUN.

I believe that if you want to be happy – you must fulfill any feasible and viable desire – at once – here and now.

So – I put on my walking shoes – I cross the Oval as the Rajabai Tower Clock is striking 6 o’clock.

I turn right at the Mumbai University gate – and then I turn left – and I walk towards Kalaghoda.

At Kalaghoda – I turn right towards Colaba Causeway – which is a Foodies Delight – and soon – I reach my destination – Kailash Parbat – at the southern end of Colaba Causeway.

I have heard from my friends that Kailash Parbat is the best place in Mumbai for Gulab Jamuns. 

I have enjoyed delectable Gulab Jamuns at many places in India – at Panchkuian Road in Delhi (on the way from CP to Karol Bagh) – at the inimitable Pehelwan Doodhwala at the end of Lanka in Banaras (Varanasi) – and even in a place called Dumka – in the back of the beyond – located – in what is now Jharkhand (then Bihar).

Now – among the people eating Gulab Jamun at Kailash Parbat – I see a veteran – a true connoisseur – relishing delicious piping hot soft succulent juicy Gulab Jamuns with such satisfaction – that I go to the counter – and order a plate of Gulab Jamuns myself.

I look endearingly at the hot mouth-watering Gulab Jamuns dunked in a liberal amount of thick syrup.

Sadly – I do not take a picture – since there were no smartphones those days – but – I will post a few pictures of Gulab Jamuns from the internet below – for you to drool over.

The Gulab Jamuns are nice – juicy soft and hot.

Gulab Jamuns must be eaten hot. 

The Gulab Jamuns are very soft and juicy.

I spoon a small luscious piece of the Gulab Jamun – and I place it delicately on my tongue.

I close my eyes to enhance the quality of the gustatory experience.

Whenever you want to enjoy good food – just close your eyes – focus all your attention on your tongue – and notice the feeling.

I just leave that succulent Gulab Jamun piece on my tongue for a while – and let the hot sweet viscous syrup permeate deep into my taste-buds.

Then – I gently roll my tongue – and the Gulab Jamun disintegrates.

You must never chew Gulab Jamun – just keep in on your tongue – and let it melt in your mouth.

The delicious Gulab Jamun dissolves and melts in my mouth – releasing its delicious cardamom tinged flavor – and its soothing rose fragrance within me.

I eat slowly – deliberately – eyes closed – savoring every moment – relishing the divine taste – prolonging the heavenly experience its epicurean delight of the highest order.

As I walk back home in state of supreme bliss – the lingering taste of the delicious Gulab Jamun remains within me for a long long time.

Even now as I write this – I can almost sense the delicious taste and enchanting fragrance of the heavenly Gulab Jamun. 

And my mouth begins to water!

But alas – I am in Pune right now – and I am yearning and craving for a hot syrupy juicy succulent heavenly sweet Gulab Jamun. 

Dear Reader – Do tell us about your favorite Gulab Jamun – where you get it – and how you eat it

Happy Gulab Jamun Eating



VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

     

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

This foodie article was written by me in the year 2000 and posted online earlier a number of times including at url: http://food.sulekha.com/gulab-jamun-how-to-relish-it-id433-3673-recipe.htm  and  http://creative.sulekha.com/my-favourite-luscious-gulab-jamun_329992_blog  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/05/how-to-eat-gulab-jamun.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/10/food-blog-how-to-eat-gulab-jamun.html etc