Description
Gulab Jamun is a classic Indian dessert featuring soft, spongy milk powder balls fried to golden perfection and soaked in a fragrant rose and cardamom-infused sugar syrup. This recipe yields luscious, melt-in-your-mouth sweets perfect for festive occasions or an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 small pinch saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons rose water
- 2 cups water (for syrup)
Jamun Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 grams) nonfat dry milk powder
- 1/3 cup (41 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons ghee, plus more for greasing
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature, plus more as needed
Frying Oil
- 4 cups sunflower or peanut oil, or other neutral oil, for frying
Garnish (Optional)
- Chopped pistachios
- Dried rose petals
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup: In a medium (about 4-quart) saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, 2 cups water, crushed cardamom pods, saffron threads, and lemon juice over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is still runny and only slightly sticky, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water. Cover to keep warm.
- Prepare the jamun dough: Sift together the milk powder, all-purpose flour, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the ghee and mix with your fingers until the mixture reaches a sandy texture. Make a well in the center and add 1/4 cup of milk. Using your fingers, incorporate the dry ingredients into the milk, then drizzle in another 1/4 cup of milk and continue mixing. The dough should be very soft and sticky but not kneaded. Continue adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired soft, sticky consistency is achieved. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat the oil: In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the frying oil over medium heat until it reaches 270°F (132°C) on a deep-fry thermometer. This temperature is lower than standard deep-frying temperature to ensure even cooking.
- Shape the jamun balls: Grease your hands generously with ghee. Take about 1 heaping tablespoon (approximately 25 grams) of dough and gently shape it into a smooth ball, ensuring no cracks. Place the formed balls on a greased plate or baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying, and repeat until all dough is used, about 14 jamun.
- Fry the jamun balls: Test the oil temperature by frying one jamun, stirring gently. Fry the ball, stirring frequently, until evenly dark golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon, cool for 30 seconds, and cut to check that it’s soft, cakey, and fully cooked. Fry the remaining jamuns in batches, maintaining the 270°F temperature and not overcrowding the pot. Transfer fried jamuns to the warm syrup immediately and cover.
- Soak the jamun: Let the fried jamun soak in the warm syrup, covered, at room temperature for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor and texture. After the initial 4 hours, refrigerate the pot to continue soaking. Occasionally roll the jamun around in the syrup to ensure even absorption.
- Serve: Reheat the soaked jamun uncovered on medium-low heat until warmed through. Serve in a large bowl or individual bowls, drizzled with additional syrup, garnished with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals. Optionally, serve alongside vanilla ice cream for a delightful contrast.
Notes
- Maintain the frying oil temperature at around 270°F (132°C) to allow the jamun to cook through without burning the exterior.
- The dough should be soft and sticky, not dry or firm; adjust milk quantity carefully.
- Do not over-knead the dough as it may result in dense jamun.
- Soaking time is crucial for flavor absorption and texture; overnight soaking yields the best results.
- Ghee is used to grease hands and add richness, but you can substitute with neutral oil if unavailable.
- If syrup cools too much, gently reheat to ensure proper soaking of jamun.
- Serve fresh for best texture, but jamun can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in syrup.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Gulab Jamun, Indian dessert, Milk powder sweets, Rose syrup sweets, Fried dessert
