Indian home cooking series: sweet and syrupy gulab jamun recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of milk powder
• 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter)
• 2-3 tbsp of milk
• 1-2 drops of lemon juice (optional)
• A pinch of baking soda
• 1 cup of oil (for deep frying)

Instructions

1. Add the sugar, cardamom, water and lemon juice to a deep pan.
2. Heat the pan over a medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes until it reaches a sticky, syrup-like consistency. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the milk powder, flour and baking soda to a large bowl.
4. Stir the mixture and then add the ghee. Mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Add the milk and combine into the mixture.
6. Lightly knead the mixture until it becomes a dough. Avoid over-kneading the mixture.
7. With oil-greased hands, divide the dough into 9-10 pieces, and mould into small, equal-sized balls.
8. Heat the oil for deep frying in a deep pot over a medium heat.
9. Add the dough balls to the hot oil, 3 at a time.
10. Stir gently and deep fry for 6-7 minutes until they turn golden-brown.
11. Heat the syrup prepared earlier for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
12. Add the gulab jamuns to the syrup and allow to soak for 2 hours until the gulab jamuns absorb most of the syrup.
13. Serve warm, garnished with crushed pistachios.

Recipe by

Fatima