To make the Indian sweet gulab jamun, we traditionally use khoya or milk solids. But there are other ways to do it! This is a soft and delicious instant gulab jamun recipe, made with milk powder. The process is straightforward, but you can’t rush any of the steps.
Patience is the key when it comes to making perfect gulab jamuns. You need to first prepare the dough and roll out small balls from the dough. Then, prepare the sugar syrup and, as you deep-fry the jamun, add them to the syrup.
What is gulab jamun?
In Hindi, the word gulab means rose, and jamun is the berry-sized java plum fruit. Gulab jamuns are small balls that are deep-fried and soaked in rose-flavored sugar syrup.
It’s a popular dessert recipe across India—if there’s one dessert you can find at all weddings, parties and festivals (along with kheer) it’s gulab jamun. But it’s not just for special occasions. It’s a perfect dessert for casual parties and potlucks, too. In many Indian homes, food for Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is incomplete without gulab jamun.
Gulab Jamun Ingredients
You’ll need a handful of special ingredients for making gulab jamun.
- Milk powder: You can find milk powder in the baking aisle at the grocery store or online. We highly recommend looking for whole milk powder, rather than non-fat. You need milk powder with full-fat content! In Indian grocery stores, you can find it labeled as mawa or milk mawa powder.
- Rose-flavored sugar syrup: To make this, you need two key ingredients. One is whole green cardamom pods, which you can find at specialty spice shops. The syrup also calls for rose essence or rose water. Rose essence is more concentrated, so a few drops provide plenty of flavor. But if you are using rose water, add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons, depending upon the concentration. For this recipe, we went with rose essence.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the dough
In a mixing bowl, add the milk powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder and ghee.
Slowly add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently form the dough by mixing. It should be a stiff dough. If the dough is sticky, grease your palms with oil and gently mix. Do not knead the dough—it will make the jamuns hard.
Step 2: Let the dough rest
Cover the dough with a damp cloth. Let rest for five minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the sugar syrup
In a saucepan, add the sugar, water and two green cardamom pods, crushed.
Bring the mixture to a boil and let the sugar dissolve. When the sugar is completely dissolved, simmer over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. You need a sticky sugar syrup here. Test it by removing a small amount of sugar syrup and letting it cool a bit. Then, touch the sugar syrup with your index finger and press it with your thumb. You should feel the stickiness.
When it’s ready, remove the syrup from the heat and add the rose essence or rose water. Set aside.
Step 4: Roll the jamuns
Grease your palms and pinch a small amount of dough. Roll gently to form a small, smooth ball—to give you an idea of the size, we make about 20 jamuns using this recipe.
Step 5: Fry the jamuns
In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat a few inches of oil over low heat.
The oil should not be very hot while frying the gulab jamuns. To test the oil, drop in a small piece of the dough. It will sink initially, but after 30 seconds or so, it will float up, and the color should not change. That’s the right temperature.
Slowly drop in four to five balls, depending on the pan size, and deep-fry the jamuns until they turn golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, keep rotating them in the oil for even cooking and coloring. It takes me four to five minutes for each batch. Do not rush the frying process!
When the jamuns are golden brown, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Step 6: Add jamuns to the sugar syrup
Let each jamun sit for 45 to 60 seconds, and then add the fried jamuns to the warm sugar syrup.
Repeat with the next batch of jamuns, frying them and then adding them to the sugar syrup. Let the jamuns soak in the sugar syrup for at least two hours. Overnight soaking is fine, too.
Step 7: Garnish
You can eat gulab jamun cold or warm. Put the jamuns in a serving bowl and drizzle the extra syrup on top.
How to Store Gulab Jamun
Gulab jamun usually stays good at room temperature for four to five days. You can refrigerate and freeze them, too.
If you are refrigerating, reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve warm or bring them to room temperature and serve.
Gulab Jamun Tips
Why is my gulab jamun dough breaking?
If there isn’t sufficient moisture, the dough might break, so add milk as needed. The dough should not be too dry.
Be sure there are no cracks while rolling. The rolled ball should be smooth.
Which oil is best for gulab jamun?
Traditionally, ghee or clarified butter is used for frying the gulab jamun. But you can use any neutral oil for frying.
Why are my gulab jamuns raw inside?
If the oil is too hot, the gulab jamuns will turn brown immediately, and the outside will cook faster than the inside. Fry the jamuns in medium-low oil for even cooking.
Why are my jamuns hard?
If you knead the dough, the jamuns will become hard. Do not knead! Roll the dough gently.
