Gulab Jamun | Using Instant Mix
Gulab jamun is traditional Indian dessert made from milk solids called khoya. To save time,nowadays it is made using Instant Gulab Jamun Mix.
Ingredients
For making Sugar Syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon rose water optional
- 3-4 cardamom pods optional
- A few strands of saffron optional
For making Jamun balls:
- 1 packet instant gulab jamun mix
- 1/2 cup water or milk
- Oil or ghee for frying
Instructions
Preparing Sugar Syrup:
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and water to make the syrup.
- Add a few drops of rose water, cardamom pods, and saffron strands for extra flavor.
- Bring it to a boil until the sugar completely dissolves, then simmer for couple more minutes.
Making Gulab Jamun Balls:
- In a mixing bowl, empty the pack of instant gulab jamun mix. Gradually add water or milk to the mix while kneading it into a soft, smooth dough. Let it rest for a few minutes.
- Divide the dough into small, equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth balls, ensuring there are no cracks.
- In a deep frying pan, heat oil or ghee over medium heat. Make sure the oil is not too hot; otherwise, the jamuns will brown too quickly on the outside while remaining uncooked inside.
- Gently drop the shaped balls into the hot oil, frying them in batches. Stir occasionally for even browning, and fry until they turn golden brown.
Soaking:
- Once the jamuns are fried to perfection, transfer them on a plate lined with kitchen towels to soak up the extra oil. Let them cool a bit before transferring them to the warm sugar syrup.
- Let them soak for at least 30 minutes to absorb the sweetness and flavors.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- Garnish with chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds for added texture and flavor. Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy the homemade dessert.
- Gulab jamuns pairs wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful dessert.
- Serve them alongside other Indian sweets like rasgulla or jalebi for a festive platter.
- When making the dough, be cautious with the amount of water or milk you add. Using too much liquid can result in sticky dough that's difficult to handle when shaping into balls and frying. However, it's essential to get the liquid amount right because dough that's too hard can lead to dense jamun balls that may not soak up the syrup properly.
- Another trick to avoid dense gulab jamun is to ensure that both gulab jamun balls and suagr syrup are warm and not too hot when combining. If the sugar syrup is cooled down, warm it up a bit before transferring the balls to the syrup.
- Roll the dough into uniform-sized balls to ensure even cooking.
- While frying the gulab jamun balls, monitor the oil temperature closely. Fry them over medium heat to ensure they cook evenly from the inside out.
- Remove the balls from the oil a bit before achieving the desired color. Even after removal, the cooking process continues, causing the balls to darken further compared to their appearance in the oil.
- Store leftover gulab jamun in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat before serving for the best taste.
- You can prepare the dough and shape the jamuns ahead of time and fry them just before serving to save time.
- Make a larger batch of sugar syrup and store it in the refrigerator for future use.