Gulab Jamun

Make the syrup first: dissolve the sugar in the water, add the cardamom, kewra and lemon juice, and simmer 5 minutes to a thin syrup. Keep it warm — never let it get cold or thick.

💡 Gulab jamun syrup is deliberately thin. A thick, one-thread syrup will not soak into the dumplings.

Mash the khoya smooth, then gently work in the flour, soda, salt and half-egg until you have a soft, crack-free dough. Do not knead hard.

💡 Over-kneading develops the flour and makes tough jamun. Bring it together just until smooth and stop.

Roll into smooth balls a little smaller than a walnut — they double in the syrup. If a ball shows cracks, smooth it with a dab of oil on your palm; cracks let oil in.

Heat the ghee to a gentle medium-low. Fry the balls slowly, rolling them for an even deep-brown colour, 6–8 minutes. Low heat is essential — hot oil browns the outside while the inside stays raw.

💡 If they brown in under 3 minutes the oil is too hot; lift the pan off the heat to cool it and try one test ball first.

Drop the hot fried balls straight into the warm syrup and leave them to soak at least 1–2 hours. They are ready when they have swelled and are soft to the centre.