Gulab Jamun are soft, melt-in-the-mouth milk dumplings soaked in rose-cardamom sugar syrup — India’s most popular festive sweet. Golden brown outside, spongy inside, they’re served warm or at room temperature and are essential at weddings, Diwali, Eid, and celebrations.

Cultural Importance Gulab Jamun means “rose water berry” — a beloved mithai (sweet) across the Indian subcontinent, with regional variations in shape and syrup flavor.

Ingredients (makes 20–25 pieces) Dumplings

• 200 g khoya/mawa (milk solids) — or milk powder + cream substitute
• 2 tbsp fine semolina (sooji)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2–3 tbsp milk (just enough to bind)
• Ghee or oil for deep-frying

Sugar Syrup

• 400 g sugar
• 500 ml water
• 4–5 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp rose water
• Few saffron strands (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make syrup: boil sugar + water until one-string consistency (~10 min). Add cardamom, rose water. Keep warm.
2. Crumble khoya finely. Mix with semolina and baking soda.
3. Add milk little by little — knead into soft, smooth dough (not sticky).
4. Roll into small smooth balls (no cracks).
5. Heat ghee/oil to low-medium. Fry balls slowly until deep golden (they expand).
6. Drain and immediately soak in hot (not boiling) syrup for at least 2–3 hours.
7. Serve warm or room temperature, garnished with pistachios or almond slivers.

Tips for Soft, Spongy Gulab Jamun

• Dough must be soft and slightly sticky — too dry = hard jamuns.
• Fry on very low heat — otherwise outside browns before inside cooks.
• Soak while syrup is warm — they absorb better.

Nutritional Note ~120–150 kcal per piece — pure indulgence treat.

These photos capture the perfect golden, syrup-soaked gulab jamun:

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