Gulab jamun is a beloved celebration dessert: soft milk dumplings fried until golden, then soaked in a warm syrup scented with rose and cardamom.
The name joins “gulab,” associated with rosewater, and “jamun,” a small fruit whose shape resembles the finished sweet.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Ghee and enough milk or water to form a soft dough
- Cardamom and optional saffron
- 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water
- Rosewater and neutral oil for frying
Make the dumplings
- Mix the milk powder, flour and baking powder. Rub in a little ghee.
- Add liquid gradually and bring the mixture together without over-kneading.
- Rest briefly, then roll into smooth cherry-sized balls with no visible cracks.
- Fry slowly over low to medium heat, turning often, until evenly deep golden.
Prepare the syrup
Simmer sugar and water for 5 to 7 minutes. Add cardamom and a few drops of rosewater. Transfer the freshly fried dumplings to the warm—not boiling—syrup and soak for at least 30 minutes.
Serve and celebrate
Garnish with pistachios or almonds and serve warm or at room temperature. Gulab jamun is especially popular at weddings and festivals, and it pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream or rabri.
Modern variations include gulab jamun cheesecake, cake and ice cream, but the traditional syrup-soaked version remains timeless.