Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun is a very popular dessert from India. It is also found in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It is very commonly made during festivals, marriages and other celebrations. Gulab (rose) jamun gets its name from the rose colored jamuns (dumplings) that are soaked in sugar syrup. These sweet dumplings made with milk solids are very light and melts in your mouth right away. It is very simple to make and tastes delicious.
These days gulab jamuns are widely available in cans and in all shops. You can also make gulab jamuns with the instant gulab jamun mix readily available. But why not make it at home when it is so simple to make and requires very few ingredients?. Here I have shared the recipe and tricks to make the perfect Gulab Jamun in your own kitchen.

For the Jamun Balls

Milk Powder - 1/2 cup
Maida (All purpose flour) - 2 tsp
Rava (Semolina) - 1 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp
Ghee or Butter - 1 tbsp
For the Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 1.5 cup
Water - 1.5 cup
Rose Essence (or rose water) - 1 tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Method

For Making Sugar Syrup

Take the sugar and water in a sauce pan. Boil it.
Reduce the flame and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice, rose essence and cardamom powder to the syrup.
Switch off.
For Making Jamun Balls

In a mixing bowl, take the milk powder, maida, baking soda and rava. Combine it.
Add the lemon juice and butter/ghee and mix it well till you get a crumbly flour.
Add the milk and mix it. The dough may appear to be very sticky.
Let it rest for about 5 minutes. By now most of the moisture is absorbed by the dough. (Tips : If you feel the dough feels dry, add a few drops of milk. The dough should be soft and moist. Only then you will get smooth balls without any cracks.)
Divide it into equal portions. Make smooth balls with your palms. Make all the balls and keep it covered under a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from getting dried up.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry on medium low heat till it becomes golden brown. It is important that you fry on low heat so that the balls are cooked through.
Put the fried jamun balls in the warm sugar syrup.
Let it soak for 45 minutes to an hour. Yummy gulab jamun is ready to be served. You can garnish each jamun with sliced almonds or pistachios while serving.
Gulab jamun topped with sliced almond

Variations

If you find fresh mawa or khoya, you can make the jamun balls by combining 3/4 cup of khoya with 1/4 cup of maida, 1/4 tsp of baking soda and about 1 tbsp of water.
Another simple way of making jamun balls is by using readymade Gulab Jamun Mix. You just have to follow the package instructions.
If you add sugar while making the dough, the jamun balls will turn almost black in color while frying. This is yet another famous dish called "Kala Jamun".
Serving Suggestions

The best part about Gulab Jamuns is that it tastes good either served warm or when served cold. During winter, you can serve it warm by microwaving it for few seconds before serving. Otherwise, just refrigerate and serve chilled.
Some people prefer to have warm gulab jamuns topped with cool vanilla ice cream.
Some people prefer to have gulab jamuns with lot of sugar syrup while others like it dry. If you prefer to have it dry, remove the jamuns after soaking in the sugar syrup for an hour. Arrange it in a serving dish and top it with sliced nuts to make a beautiful presentation. You can also roll it in sweetened dried coconut and serve it