gulab jamun.

गुलाब जामुन


Ingredients:

  • oil/ghee for frying, ghee is preferred but expensive, you could use 50/50.

khoya/mawa:

  • 1L whole milk.

  • 15g ghee.

dough:

  • 250g khoya/mawa.

  • 3g baking powder.

  • 20-40g maida or cake flour.

  • 3g kosher salt.

syrup:

  • 300g sugar.

  • 300g water.

  • 4 green cardamom pods.

  • small pinch saffron threads.

  • 15g rose water or a few rose petals, optional.

  • 1 tsp lemon juice.

Equipment:

  • wok/kadai/large saucepot.

  • non-stick pan.

  • bench scraper.

  • spider-strainer/slotted spoon.

  • baking tray.

Yield:

  • ~15 gulab jamun.

Execution:

1. khoya.

  • Bring the milk to a boil in a wide pot over medium heat.

  • Once it boils, reduce to a simmer and cook over low medium-low for 2-3 hours, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan so nothing burns.

  • The temperature of the milk should remain at 80-90°C.

  • Once it curdles and starts to thicken, add ghee.

  • Continue to stir until it forms a grainy, sticky mass.

  • Remove the khoya from the heat and let rest for 2-3 minutes or until warm.

2. syrup.

  • Add sugar and water to a pan, bring to a boil, once the sugar has dissolved, add cardamom and saffron, and boil for an additional 1 minute. Cut the heat and add the rose water and lemon juice. Keep warm over the lowest heat.

3. dough.

  • Optional, but highly recommended step; cream the khoya:

  • Place the warm khoya onto a flat surface, using the palm of your hands, working in small portions, smear and grind the khoya against your work surface, repeat this until the khoya is perfectly smooth, without grains. This will result in a smoother, more aesthetically pleasing mouthfeel in the end product.

  • Place the warm khoya onto a flat work surface, add ghee and knead until the texture is consistent and smooth, this should only take a couple minutes.

  • Add the baking powder, salt and flour, knead for 2-3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. The dough should feel moist in your hands, leaving a slight film on your hands while kneading.

  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

  • Grease your hands with ghee, and form the dough into 15g balls, they should be completely smooth with no cracks.

  • Keep the formed balls under a damp towel as you roll them.

4. frying.

  • Keep the temperature of the syrup at around 120-140°F, (lukewarm).

  • Fill a large pot/wok halfway with ghee/oil and bring to 270-290°F.

  • Fry the gulab jamun in batches.

  • Maintain the same temperature throughout the frying process.

  • Keep the oil moving in a whirlpool motion to prevent sticking to each other or the bottom.

  • After 4-5 minutes or until golden brown, remove the gulab jamun from the oil using a strainer, let rest on a paper towel for 30 seconds, then into the syrup.

  • Let the gulab jamun soak in the syrup for at least 4 hours.

5. serve.

  • To serve; reheat lightly in the syrup until warm, but not hot. Serve in a bowl/plate with a generous amount of the syrup.