About Gulab Jamun Recipe
Ask any Indian what is there favorite Indian mithai or which is the most popular Indian sweet. Ninety percent of them would say gulab jamun. Gulab Jamun is easy to prepare and is loved by people of all age groups. The sweet originated in Persia, and it was then introduced in India. According to Wikipedia, gulab jamun is also referred to as referred as Gulab jaman, Lal mohan, Gulab jam, Gulap jam, etc. As you would have guessed, gulab jamun is also popular in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, and other parts of the sub-continent. This delicious sweet is prepared during festivals like Diwali, Navratri, Holi, Eid, Ramzan, Christmas, and special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or even parties. There are numerous ready mixes available in the market to prepare gulab jamun, but homemade ones are always the best.
Serving Suggestions and Build-on Recipe Ideas with Gulab Jamun
At parties, gulab jamuns are usually served warm. But many of my friends, including my husband, likes to have it chilled right from the refrigerator. Warm gulab jamun can be served with a cold scoop of ice cream to it extra special. Gulab jamuns can also be used to prepare fusion desserts such as cakes, cheesecakes, fusion desserts in jars, chocolate-covered truffles, decadent mousse, custard, ice cream, homemade falooda, etc. Some popular recipe variations to this milk-based dessert recipe are Dry Gulab Jamun, Kala Jamun, Bread Jamun, Semolina Jamun, Mava Jamun, etc. Check out my collection of popular snacks and sweet recipes for different Indian festivals.
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Ingredients for Gulab Jamun
Milk powder - is the main ingredient in this gulab jamoon recipe. I have used non-fat dry milk powder that is readily available in stores worldwide. You can also add regular milk powder (e.g., EveryDay from Nestle, etc.) You can also use khoya (also known as khoa or mava/mawa), paneer (or chenna), etc., to prepare these jamuns. Those who want a dairy-free version can use bread slices, semolina, etc., to make dairy-free gulab jamuns. Vegetable shortening (or Dalda) - is added to enrich the gulab jamun dough. Some people use butter, ghee, vegetable oil, etc. All-purpose flour (or Maida) - in a small amount, helps bind the gulab jamun dough. It helps the dough balls retain their shape when fried in oil. This is an optional ingredient, but I always add it to the recipe. You can completely substitute all-purpose flour with semolina. Semolina (or Suji/Sooji) - helps in binding the dough. It helps make the jamuns tender because, unlike all-purpose flour (maida), gluten formation is slower in the case of semolina. Ensure to presoak semolina in warm milk or warm water for a few minutes before adding them to the dough. You can replace sooji with maida, but the jamuns can turn dense and chalky. Warm milk - is used to soak semolina. You can also use warm water. Cold milk/water increases the soaking time of semolina. Baking powder - is the leavening agent added to the dough so that fried gulab jamuns are light, airy, and ready to absorb sugar syrup. You can also use baking soda and add a tablespoon of yogurt. The acid in the yogurt helps to activate baking soda. Sugar - coarse/fine granulated sugar is used to prepare a simple syrup in which the fried jamoons are soaked for a few hours. Ensure the syrup achieves the right consistency. If it is watery, the fried dough balls will absorb too much liquid, becomes mushy, and breaks apart easily. Cardamom powder, Saffron threads, or Rose water - is used to flavor the simple sugar syrup. Lemon juice - is added to prevent the sugar used in the syrup from crystallizing. Vegetable oil - for frying. You can use coconut oil or any neutral-flavored oil to fry these gulab jamuns.
Refer to the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Step by Step Recipe
Step 1 (Prepare the dough) - Soak semolina in milk for 5 minutes. To a bowl, add milk powder, vegetable shortening, all-purpose flour, soaked semolina, and baking powder, and mix well. Add water little by little and mix to form a dough. Let the dough rest and hydrate for 10 to 15 minutes. Step 2 (Fry the dough balls) - After the dough has rested, make small balls out of this. Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, fry them on a medium-low flame until the jamuns become golden brown on all sides. Transfer the fried dough balls to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Keep these aside till the sugar syrup is ready. Step 3 (Prepare the sugar syrup) - In a pot, add sugar, water, lemon juice, and saffron threads and bring it to a nice boil on a medium flame for about 8 minutes. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the flame and let it cool off a bit. Step 4 (Soaking the fried jamuns in syrup) - Add the fried jamuns to the warm sugar syrup. Ensure the syrup is warm/hot (not boiling) while adding the jamuns. Let this soak for at least one hour. Gulab Jamun is now ready. Serve chilled or warm, and enjoy!
Expert Chef Tips
You can fry the jamuns in ghee or brown butter to make them rich and traditional. You can use saffron or rose water, or both in the recipe. While serving, you can also garnish it with some pistachios, almonds, or cashews if desired. While frying, make sure the oil is hot. If the oil is not hot, the jamuns can absorb oil and turn soggy. Adding them to very hot oil will lead them to develop brown color on the surface quickly and will remain uncooked on the inside. Regulate the flame. When dough balls are dropped into the oil, ensure the oil is hot and the flame is medium. As soon as the dough balls develop some color, reduce the flame to low (or medium-low) and continue frying until the whole jamun is golden brown in color. Add fried gulab jamuns to the warm sugar syrup (not boiling). Adding the jamuns to boiling syrup can make them extra soft and break. On the other hand, adding these to cold syrup will not allow the jamuns to absorb the syrup.
Make-ahead and Storage Instructions
You can make gulab jamuns ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days making them a perfect dessert for parties or other festivals. Warm it on the stovetop for a few minutes when ready to serve. If you (or your guests) love to have chilled gulab jamuns, serve them immediately!
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Recipe card
