Gulab Jamun Recipe (with Khoya)

Khoya Gulab Jamun is a classic Indian dessert made with khoya (milk solids) and soaked in cardamom-infused sugar syrup. They have a rich taste and soft, juicy texture, which are perfect for any celebration!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Keyword: easy indian desserts, gulab jamun recipes, khoya gulab jamun, traditional food for festivals

Servings:

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Hari Chandana Ponnaluri

Ingredients

For the Jamuns

1 Cup Unsweetened Khoya (crumbled)
2.5 Tablespoons Plain Flour / All-Purpose Flour
⅛ Teaspoon Baking Soda
A Pinch of Cardamom Powder
Oil for Deep Frying

For the Sugar Syrup

2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Water
¼ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
A few strands of Saffron (optional)
Few drops of Rose water (optional)

Instructions

Crumble the khoya into a bowl. If you are using frozen khoya, bring it to room temperature first.
Add baking soda and all-purpose flour (maida) to the crumbled khoya.
Sprinkle a little water and bring everything together to a smooth, soft dough. Do not knead the dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside until use.
To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar, measured water, and cardamom powder in a vessel. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Bring the syrup to a boil for 7-8 minutes and turn off the flavor. Add rose water if using. The syrup should be light, not thick. Cover the pot with a lid and keep it aside.
Heat ghee or oil in a pan or kadai to deep fry the jamuns. In the meantime, divide the prepared dough into small portions and roll them gently into smooth balls. Cover and set aside.
When the oil is hot (not smoking hot) enough to fry the gulab jamuns, reduce the flame to very low.
Slowly drop the shaped dough balls into the hot oil. Fry slowly, stirring occasionally until they turn evenly golden brown.
Drain the fried balls in paper towels and drop them in the warm sugar syrup immediately.
Let the khoya gulab jamuns soak in the syrup for 3-4 hours so they absorb the syrup well and become soft and juicy.
When they are soaked well, serve them warm or cold.

Notes

Remember to mix the dough gently. Do not knead the dough.
When shaping the dough into balls, make sure there are no cracks on the surface. Cracks can cause the jamuns to break and fall apart while frying or soaking.
The temperature of the frying oil is very important to make a tender and evenly cooked gulab jamuns. If the oil is too hot, the outside cooks too fast and the inside stays raw. If the oil is not hot enough, the gulab jamuns will absorb more oil and become greasy. Always fry on low to medium-low heat.
The temperature of the sugar syrup is also very important to make soft gulab jamuns every time. The syrup should not be too hot or too cold when you drop the fried jamuns in it. It should be warm.
Do not overcrowd the pan while frying. Always fry in small batches, so they have space to cook evenly.
Let the mawa gulab jamuns soak in the syrup for at least 2-3 hours for the best results. The longer they rest in the syrup, the more syrup they'll absorb, making them softer and juicer.

Nutrition