YUM ALERT: Get Familiar with Gulab Jamun

While I’m not the biggest fan of Indian cuisine (except for naan. gimme summa dat.), this recipe for gulab jamun tempts me to get down with Indian dessert, and up with my exercise routine. Recipe via cupcakeproject.com

Dough ingredients:

• 2 C powdered milk
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1/4 C + 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2 C milk, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• vegetable oil for frying

Syrup ingredients:

• 3 C water
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions:

1. Mix powdered milk, flour and baking soda in a bowl.
2. Add ghee to flour and milk powder mixture. Mix well.
3. Slowly add milk. The dough will be very soft.
4. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
5. Bring all syrup ingredients to a boil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
6. Reduce to low heat.  Keep the syrup warm and ready for the addition of the fried gulab jamun.
7. After 20 minutes, pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into little balls.
8. Fry the balls in vegetable oil.  I used my mini deep fryer.  I very lightly fried mine (maybe that’s why they didn’t hold up as well).  I liked them that way, but you could also keep them in the fryer for a few minutes to make them a darker brown.
9. Add the fried balls to the warm syrup.  See my notes above about how long to soak them.
10. Serve warm over syrup.