Gulab Jamun

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups whole milk powder (khoya)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons ghee, melted
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 4 pieces green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 cups neutral oil, for deep frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 2 cups water into a medium saucepan and add 1.5 cups sugar and 4 crushed cardamom pods. Set the heat to medium and stir until the sugar fully dissolves, about 3 minutes.

2. 2

   Once the sugar dissolves and the syrup looks clear, remove the pan from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon rose water. Set the syrup aside to cool while you make the dumplings.

3. 3

   Pour 1.5 cups milk powder and 0.25 cup all-purpose flour into a medium bowl. Add 0.25 teaspoon baking powder and stir with a spoon until the mixture looks evenly combined with no lumps.

4. 4

   Pour 2 tablespoons melted ghee into the bowl and stir and squeeze the mixture with your fingertips (like you are making breadcrumbs) until it looks like wet sand and just barely holds together when you squeeze a pinch in your fist.

5. 5

   Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough (about the size of a large marble) and roll it between your palms in a circular motion until it forms a smooth, crack-free ball. Repeat until all dough is used; you should have about 16 balls. Arrange them on a plate.

6. 6

   Pour 2 cups neutral oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet and set the heat to medium. Wait about 3 minutes, then hold your hand 3 inches above the oil—it should feel hot; a wooden spoon handle dipped in should bubble steadily.

7. 7

   Gently drop 4 dough balls into the hot oil (work in batches so the pan is not crowded) and listen for a steady, gentle sizzle. Do not stir them; let them stay undisturbed for 1 minute so they puff and the bottom sets.

8. 8

   Use a slotted spoon to gently roll each dumpling toward the center of the pot, then let them float and cook for another 2 minutes until the surface turns golden brown like a caramel candy.

9. 9

   Use the slotted spoon to lift each dumpling from the oil and transfer it directly into the cooled sugar syrup. Repeat with remaining batches of dough balls until all are fried and soaking.

10. 10

    Let the gulab jamun soak in the syrup for at least 10 minutes at room temperature so they absorb the rose-cardamom liquid and soften. Serve warm or at room temperature in small bowls with a few tablespoons of syrup spooned over each.

Tools you’ll need

• medium saucepan
• medium mixing bowl
• spoon
• deep, heavy-bottomed pot or 4-quart Dutch oven
• instant-read thermometer (optional)
• slotted spoon
• small bowl or plate for shaping dough

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