Gulab Jamun
December 23rd, 2006 filed under Desserts
Gulab jamuns are an Indian version of donuts immeresed in the warm sweet syrup. Served as a dessert, this is a staple in most parts of India.
Makes 20.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup nonfat milk powder
- 1/4 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour, maida)
- 3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup room temperature whole milk
- Pinch of baking soda
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 4 coarsely grounded cardamom seeds
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachio
- Oil for deep-frying
Method:
Syrup:
- In a large pan, add water, sugar, and ground cardamom seeds and bring it to a boil.
- Let the syrup boil for a minute then remove it from the heat.
- Stir the syrup until the sugar is dissolved.
- Set the syrup aside.
Gulab Jamun:
- In a bowl, mix milk powder, flour and baking soda.
- Add the butter and mix well.
- Now add milk to make soft dough. The dough will be sticky.
- Let the dough sit for a few minutes. Milk powder will absorb the extra milk. If the dough is dry, add more milk, as the dough should be soft.
- Knead the dough. Grease your hands with butter before working with the dough.
- Divide the dough into about 20 equal portions and roll them into round balls.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 ½ inch of oil. To test if the oil is the right temperature, place a small piece of dough into the oil; it should take a minute to rise. If dough rises faster, oil is too hot; if dough just sits without rising, oil is not hot enough.
- Place the gulab Jamuns in the frying pan. Note: remember gulab jamuns will expand in double the volume, so give them enough space.
- It should take about 7 minutes to fry the gulab jamuns. While frying keep rolling the gulab jamuns around so they are evenly browned. Fry until the gulab jamuns become dark brown.
- Let the gulab jamuns cool off for a few minutes before placing in the hot syrup.
- The gulab jamuns should sit in the hot syrup for at least 20 minutes prior to serving. Gulab jamuns can be kept at room temperature for about a week and up to one month when refrigerated. Gulab jamuns can be frozen for months.
Tips:
- If the gulab jamuns are fried on high heat, they will become hard inside and not fully cooked.
- Too much baking soda will cause the gulab jamuns to get too soft or they will break apart when frying.
- Don’t place the gulab jamuns in the syrup immediately after frying. This will cause the gulab jamuns to lose their shape and become chewy.
Variations:
- Using the same recipe, make slightly smaller gulab jamuns (say, 24 instead of 20). After the gulab jamuns are soaked in the syrup, take gulab jamuns out of the syrup and roll them in ½ cup of unsweetened coconut powder. Also, you can substitute coarsely ground almonds for the coconut powder.
- Using the same recipe, make about 10 larger gulab jamuns. Cut the gulab jamuns in half when they are at room temperature. Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios.
[...] was Gulab Jamun, an Indian dessert that consists of doughy fried balls served in a sugar syrup (usually made with [...]
Dear mam,
Today i made jamoons as per your measurements ( first time i made with milk powder). Wow really iam very happy to see ( taste) jamoons my hubby never likes sweets( today he ate 5 jamoons.), It is very soft like new born baby cheeks. I never get like this jamoons even i made by readymade mix.
Thanks a lot.
Regards,
Sakthi.
[...] dessert they enjoyed some glob jaman and a cup of chai. I was thrilled that the night was such a huge success! There were no scrunched [...]
[...] I cheated and used a store-bought package but there is a great recipe from Manjula’s Kitchen here. [...]
Dear Manjula Aunty,
I have been using my home made khoya. The Gulab Jamuns turn out good but I would like to get the right measurement for it. If you could please let me know. Thank you for your generosity in sharing all your good recipes. with respect Monu
aunty pls give me ballushahi receipe
hi aunty i tried gulab juman,but its always break i don,t why pls tell me
I tried this recipe 3 times and every time I fried the jamuns they were breaking up and dispersing in the oil. I changed the amount of baking soda each time, I also bought a new box of baking soda, and I also made sure the oil was at good temperature.
The brand of milk powder I used is Nestle, Everyday Tea Whitener. The ingredients are: milk, soy lecitin and sugar.
What brand did you use? Do you know what could be going wrong here?
Heena,
I don’t think you are using true milk powder from an Indian grocery – I don’t have the ingredients right in front of me right now that lists what milk powder contains but it sounds like you are using a milk substitute / coffee or tea creamer instead. Milk powder should be just dried non fat milk and nothing else. I’m not sure where you are from or live but it sounds like you are using something like or something similar to what we have here in the States called “Coffee Mate” and I don’t think that’s what Manjula Ji means when she says MILK POWDER.
Heena, I also agree with Lianne that you are using the wrong item. Milk powder is de-hydrated milk, nothing more. What you’re using is for coffee and tea.
If you’re in the US, go to an American grocery store in the baking section and look for Carnation brand milk powder. If in doubt, check with one of the store clerks that it’s milk powder and NOT a coffee/tea creamer.
Good luck.
I’m confused. I think I’ve made a mistake. We’re not supposed to add ALL 1/4 cup of milk at once? I did that and its SUPER sticky! :s
I have tried this recipe and it turned out great!! Honestly, take her tips seriously though. It makes the world of difference.