No khoya, no stress... perfect Gulab jamun every time

Step 1: Prepare Sugar Syrup

Add 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder and a pinch of saffron strands. Bring the mixture to a boil. Optionally, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to prevent crystallization and clean impurities. Boil until a slightly sticky, thin syrup forms (no thick string consistency is needed). Keep the syrup warm.

Step 2: Prepare Gulab Jamun Dough Base

In a separate pan, add 1 cup of milk, 1.5 cups of milk powder, 2 tablespoons of ghee, and 2 tablespoons of suji (semolina). Cook this mixture on low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until it thickens and forms a soft dough that starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Step 3: Form the Dough

Transfer the cooked dough base to a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of maida (all-purpose flour), 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Gently mix and knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable, ensuring there are no cracks. Be careful not to over-knead, as this can make the gulab jamuns hard.

Step 4: Shape Gulab Jamun Balls

Lightly grease your hands with ghee. Take small, equal portions of the prepared dough and roll them into smooth, crack-free balls. Ensure the balls are perfectly smooth to prevent them from breaking during frying.

Step 5: Fry Gulab Jamun

Heat 2-3 cups of ghee (or oil) in a deep pan on very low heat. Test the oil temperature by dropping a tiny piece of dough; it should slowly rise to the surface without browning too quickly. Carefully add the Gulab Jamun balls in small batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry on very low heat, turning them gently and continuously with a slotted spoon, until they turn uniformly golden brown. This step requires patience for even cooking.

Step 6: Soak in Syrup

Once fried to a golden brown, remove the Gulab Jamun from the oil using a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to the warm sugar syrup prepared earlier. Ensure all the gulab jamuns are fully submerged in the syrup. Let them soak for at least 1-2 hours, or until they have absorbed the syrup and become soft and juicy.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

Garnish the soaked Gulab Jamun with chopped pistachios or any other preferred nuts. Serve warm or chilled as a delicious dessert.

• Do not over-knead the dough to prevent hard gulab jamuns.

• Fry gulab jamuns on very low heat for even cooking and soft texture.

• Ensure sugar syrup is warm for proper absorption of the syrup into the gulab jamuns.