Flaviella. A Big Bend kitchen almanac
Diwali  ·  Sunday, November 8

Gulab Jamun in Rose & Cardamom Syrup

Traditional gulab jamun start with khoya, which is hard to find in Jefferson County. Full-fat milk powder from any grocery store makes a dough that fries up just as soft. The syrup should be warm, not boiling, when the jamun go in — that temperature difference is what draws the syrup all the way to the center.

Prep
25 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
1 hr
Total
1 hr 55 min
Yield
About 18 pieces
Level
Intermediate
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Two gulab jamun in syrup on a plate
Photo: Suyash Dwivedi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Ingredients

About 18 pieces. Tick items off as you go.

For the syrup

For the jamun

Method

  1. Make the syrupCombine the sugar, water, cardamom and saffron in a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5–6 minutes until slightly sticky between your fingers but not stringy. Stir in the rose water and keep warm on the lowest heat.
  2. Mix the doughWhisk the milk powder, flour and baking soda. Rub in the melted ghee. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently, until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not knead. Rest 10 minutes.
  3. ShapeGrease your palms with ghee. Roll the dough into about 18 smooth, crack-free balls, about 1 inch across. Any cracks will split in the oil.
  4. Fry lowHeat 1½ inches of ghee or oil in a heavy pan to about 275–285°F. A test piece should rise slowly with gentle bubbles. Fry the balls in batches for 6–8 minutes, constantly moving the oil around them with a spoon, until evenly deep brown.
  5. SoakTransfer the hot jamun straight into the warm syrup. Soak at least 1 hour, ideally 2, turning occasionally. They will swell and soften.
  6. ServeServe warm or at room temperature with a little syrup and chopped pistachios.

Kitchen notes

  • If the jamun brown in under 4 minutes, the oil is too hot and the centers will stay raw.
  • They keep in their syrup, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Warm gently before serving.
  • Use full-fat milk powder; nonfat powder makes dense, hard jamun.

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