The Secret to Making Gulab Jamun the Stress-Free Way
Unleash Your Inner Pastry Chef
In my last post, I shared how I made this dessert 25 times before I got it right. In this post, I want to share how I made it and the pitfalls to avoid.
If you prefer to learn by watching a relaxing video, then click here.
1. Make the Dough
This step is the essence of the dish. The dough sounds pretty straightforward but it's quite complex. There are only 6 ingredients and it comes together in under 5 minutes but they're right when they say that the simplest things are the most difficult to perfect. There is no place to hide.
I should also note for the Gulab Jamun police out there that traditionally, this dessert is made with khoya or milk solids. I'm using a combination of milk powder and flour in equal proportions to create a very similar taste and texture. The softest Gulab Jamuns are made with fresh khoya and it's pretty much impossible to source that here in Las Vegas. Maybe some day I will make khoya from scratch but that's for another time.
After many failed attempts I've learned that in order to produce a soft, juicy and intact Gulab Jamun, you need to balance the milk powder to flour ratio perfectly and incorporate the right amount of cream. The amount of cream can vary so this is a perfect place to use the most powerful tool you have, your senses. Add the cream slowly and feel the dough. It should feel like play dough.
Make any of these mistakes and they will be chewy and dense or fall apart as soon as you lower them into the hot oil. In case you're wondering, I've made all of these mistakes.
2. Make the Syrup
The consistency of the syrup is key. It's on the thinner side which allows the Gulab Jamuns absorb the flavorful liquid and attain the juiciness that we absolutely need in a good version of this dessert. If the center is dense and dry, either your syrup was too thick or the Gulab Jamun wasn't cooked through.
The flavor of the syrup is floral and aromatic.
I use green cardamon, my favorite spice and ubiquitous in most Indian confectionary. It perfectly complements the richness of the Gulab Jamun and the other flavors in the syrup.
The next flavoring agent I employ is saffron, the king of spices. It's sweet earthiness gives way to mellow floral notes that works so well with the cardamom.
If the syrup is cloudy, I add a few drops of lime juice to clarify it.
Lastly but most importantly, I add in a tiny bit of rose water to further punctuate that floral scent.
After all, Gulab means rose in Hindi.
3. Shape the Gulab Jamuns
I rested the dough for 10-15 minutes to allow the dry ingredients absorb the moisture from the cream. Now, we are ready to shape our Gulab Jamuns.
My home is perfumed by the floral notes of the syrup and the caramelized aroma of the ghee whenever I make it.
It's important to grease your hands with some ghee to prevent the Gulab Jamuns from sticking while you shape them. This also ensures that they have a smooth outer surface.
Apply gentle pressure while shaping the dough to make sure that there are no cracks on the surface of the Gulab Jamun. Otherwise, they will burst open when you fry them. If they crack, don't worry, they will still be just as delicious!
4. Fry the Gulab Jamuns
The golden rule with frying is to fry at a low temperature to cook and at a high temperature to crisp.
We don't need the Gulab Jamuns to be crisp, we need them to be cooked through so I maintain the temperature between 300°-325°F.
The most important thing is that you must keep stirring them gently all throughout the frying process because otherwise, they won't be evenly golden on all sides and no one wants a patchy Gulab Jamun.
It took me about 4 minutes to fry them but the best way to tell is by looking at the color of the Gulab Jamuns. They should be a beautiful golden brown.
5. Soak the Gulab Jamuns
The Gulab Jamuns need to be immersed in the lukewarm syrup as soon as they come out of the hot oil.
This allows them to soak up the syrup and get flavorful and plump. I soaked mine for about three hours but you don't need to wait that long. An hour is usually enough to saturate the Gulab Jamuns with the incredibly floral syrup.
6. Garnish and Enjoy
These are simply divine on their own, but I enjoy adding garnishes that provide visual clues to what the dish tastes like.
I use some crushed pistachios because I just love the buttery sweet nuttiness of them and the bright green color offers a stark contrast against the golden brown of the Gulab Jamuns.
I adore decorating anything with gold leaf but this Gulab Jamun is just begging for it. It's also how I’ve seen them decorated in Indian sweet shops.
I also add some crushed, dried rose petals to echo the flavors in the syrup.
If your dessert spoon sinks into it without much resistance, it is indicative of the perfect texture.
Now all I need is a scoop of ice-cream! After all, food is all about contrasts and so is life. Wouldn't you agree?