Gulab Jamun (Fried Milk Balls in Sugar Syrup)

Gulab Jamun is a classical Indian sweet which you can find in every Indian wedding and mostly during festival time in India. Generally, it is made from khoya (dried whole milk which is made by boiling milk for a longer time in an open pan). But you can make it from milk powder as well. So, people who are residing in abroad and not able to find khoya can make this version very easily.

The word Gulab means Rose and Jamun is a type of black coloured berry fruit which is mostly available in India. Maybe because these black coloured balls we’re soaked in rose syrup during earlier times.

Ingredients

For making sugar syrup

Sugar – 1 1/2 cups

Green cardamoms – 4 – 5 nos

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Rose Water – few drops (optional)

For making balls

Milk powder – 1 cup

All-purpose flour or Maida – 1/4 cup

Baking Soda – a pinch

Oil – 1 teaspoon (or) ghee – 1/2 teaspoon

Curd or Yogurt – 1 to 2 tablespoons

For deep frying

Oil

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Method

For sugar syrup

• Heat a pan and add water, sugar (after adding water, not directly), cardamom and rose water into it. Stir occasionally and let it boil till it becomes a thick syrup. You can check the consistency by taking syrup between your thumb and forefinger, stick the syrup in between them to find out its consistency. If a single small thread is formed, then it means your sugar the syrup is ready. Please note that always prepare sugar syrup when your gulab jamun is ready to fry because, sugar syrup dries out very quickly.

For making and frying balls

• Mix milk powder, flour and baking soda in a bowl.
• Add oil or ghee and curd or yoghurt into it. Add more yoghurt or curd, if mixture is dried.
• Mix it till it comes smooth and soft. Apply oil on your palm and make small even sized balls from the dough and cover all the balls with a kitchen towel.
• Heat oil in a deep pan for frying and once the oil becomes medium hot, slow the flame and add one ball. The ball should slowly rise from the bottom to the top. If it’s not rising, oil is not hot enough or if it’s rising too quickly and becoming dark, then the oil is too hot. Adjust the flame accordingly.
• When everything is perfect, you can add more than one ball at a time depending on the capacity of your pan.
• Keep turning on the balls till it becomes brown.
• Once balls are turning golden brown, add them directly into the sugar syrup.

Tips

If you want to make your gulab jamun more appealing, garnish it with diced almonds, pistachios or saffron.

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