“In India, people treat themselves to GULAB JAMUN – deep fried dough balls swimming in sweet SYRUP flavored with ROSE WATER and SAFFRON.”

National Geographic 5,000 Awesome Facts, fact # 9 on 35 of decadent desserts

The traditional method of making gulab jamun involves using khoya, a milk product reduced to the consistency of a soft dough, while modern recipes often use dried or powdered milk as a convenient alternative. Making khoya at home can be laborious, as it requires simmering milk until only the milk solids remain, leading many to opt for dried milk instead.

Gulab translates to rose in Hindi and jamun is translated to berry. Rose flavored berry sized balls.

Preparation per Wikipedia(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulab_jamun) is “The solids (khoya) are kneaded with flour (maida), and small balls of this dough are deep-fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter) at a low temperature,^[1] then soaked in a light sugar syrup flavored with green cardamom and rose water, kewra or saffron.^[2] Hot gulab jamun is often served with vanilla ice cream, or kulfi.”

Kewra is a fragrant oil distilled from the male flower of the screw pine plant, found in dense forests, which is native to tropical Asia and Southeast Asia. It’s used as a flavoring agent and in perfumery.

The recipe takes awhile to make but here are a few links: (https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/gulab-jamun-recipe-using-milk-powder/) and (https://bakewithzoha.com/gulab-jamun/#ingredients-needed).

Ingredients per one recipe needed are: milk powder (if you don’t have khoya), all-purpose flour, baking powder, egg (not all recipes call for an egg; it adds structure and prevents the food from absorbing too much oil when fried), heavy cream, ghee (clarified butter), water, sugar, cardamom pods, and oil for frying. When selecting the ingredients, make sure to use fresh and high-quality items for the best results. Additionally, consider experimenting with different types of sugar or adding a touch of saffron for a unique flavor profile. The water should be at room temperature to ensure proper mixing with the other ingredients.