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Gulab Jamun

South Asian · 45 min · Easy · 6 servings

Gulab Jamun

Milk-powder dumplings fried dark and drowned in cardamom-rose syrup, served warm so they are still drinking it in. Sticky, floral and completely over the top.

~440 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

nut-freesoy-free
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Method

  1. 1

    Make the syrup

    ⏱ 5 min

    Warm the sugar with the water and the bruised cardamom pods in a pot until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in the rose water. Keep it warm.

  2. 2

    Make the dough

    Rub the melted vegan butter into the flour and semolina in a bowl, then add the plant milk a little at a time until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it — work it just enough to come together, or the dumplings turn rubbery.

  3. 3

    Roll

    ⏱ 10 min

    Rest the dough for 10 minutes, then roll into smooth balls, three per serving, between your palms. Any crack now becomes a split in the oil, so keep rolling until the surface is seamless.

  4. 4

    Fry low and slow

    ⏱ 8 min

    Heat the oil in a pot to 285°F (140°C) — deliberately cooler than most frying. Fry the balls in batches, turning constantly, for about 8 minutes until deep mahogany. Hot oil browns the outside before the middle cooks.

  5. 5

    Soak and serve

    ⏱ 30 min

    Lift the dumplings straight into the warm syrup and leave them for at least 30 minutes to drink it up and double in size. Serve warm, scattered with pistachios.

Notes

The oil temperature is the whole recipe: too hot and you get a raw center in a dark shell. The dumplings should sink, then rise slowly. They keep several days in their syrup and only improve.

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