What is Gulab Jamun in Indian Cuisine?
Gulab means ‘rose’ and Jamun is a fruit; together though, they refer to the hugely popular Indian sweet that’s a regular at festivals, weddings and on desi restaurant menus. From dough consisting of milk solids (khoya) and flour, small balls (golf-ball size) are rolled and gently deep-fried in ghee until golden brown. These are soaked in warm sugar syrup to which rosewater, cardamom seeds and perhaps saffron have been added. Sometimes, you’ll find gulab jamuns with a few slivers of pistachio embedded in the centre – taking indulgence to new levels! When sugar is added to the dough, the jamun caramelizes and turns near black, a variation called Kala Jamun. A modern take on this traditional sweet is hot gulab jamuns served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream melting over!
