Gulab Jamun

Why do gulab jamuns turn hard?

Three causes, in order of frequency. The dough was kneaded too much, so the gluten in the flour tightened; the oil was too hot, so a firm shell formed before the inside expanded; or too much flour went in relative to khoya. The dough should be brought together barely, with the lightest hand, and it should feel soft enough to take a fingerprint. Hardness is nearly always set before the frying even begins.

Why does the frying have to be so slow?

Because the centre has to cook and expand at the same rate as the outside browns. At a normal frying temperature the surface is dark within ninety seconds while the middle is still raw dough, and that jamun will not absorb syrup properly. At around 130C the ball rises slowly, colours gradually and cooks right through in eight to ten minutes. The test is simple: dropped in, it should sink and then float up lazily rather than bubbling hard on contact.

How hot should the syrup be?

Warm, not boiling and not cold. Hot jamuns going into boiling syrup can disintegrate, and going into cold syrup they seal and refuse to absorb, staying dense at the centre. A syrup that is comfortably hot to the finger, with the jamuns still warm from the pan, gives the steady absorption that doubles their size over a couple of hours. The lemon juice is there to stop the syrup crystallising as it cools, not for flavour.

What consistency should the syrup be?

Just short of one thread. Dip a cooled drop between finger and thumb and pull them apart: it should be sticky and stretch slightly without forming a single continuous thread. A thicker syrup cannot penetrate the jamun and leaves the centre dry; a thin watery one soaks in but leaves them flabby and unsweet. Six or seven minutes of boiling usually lands it, though it depends on your pan.

Why did my jamuns break apart in the oil?

Cracks on the surface of the rolled ball, or too much baking soda. Roll each ball until it is completely smooth, which means rubbing out every fissure with your palm, since a crack opens under pressure as the inside expands. Excess soda makes them puff too fast and burst. A quarter teaspoon for this quantity is plenty, and more does not make them lighter, only more fragile.

Can gulab jamun be made without khoya?

Full fat milk powder is the common substitute and it works well, though it needs a slightly gentler hand with the milk and gives a marginally smoother, less grainy texture. Paneer-based versions produce something closer to a rasgulla in character. Bread-based shortcuts exist but give a spongy result that is a different sweet altogether. Where khoya is available fresh, it is worth the trouble for the depth it brings.

How do they keep?

Three to four days at room temperature submerged in their syrup, and about a week refrigerated, though they firm up in the cold and want thirty seconds of warming before serving. They freeze poorly. On what they actually contain, our note on calories in Indian sweets is blunt about the arithmetic, and portioning festival food sensibly rather than banning it is part of what the culinary nutrition course teaches.