Gulab Jamun

This is one of my favorite Indian sweets. It's a really simple dish, and it's something different that most palates will still find to be agreeable.

Ingredients: (makes about 25 gulab jamun)

For the dough balls-

• 3 c powdered milk
• 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 c milk
• oil for frying

For the syrup-

• 2 c sugar
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 pods cardamom
• 1 T all spice pods
• 1 c water

Directions:
1. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside on the stove top to keep it warm.
2. Combine dry ingredients for dough balls and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the milk 1 T at a time and mix after each. Stop adding milk when you have a dough ball.
4. Break off the dough in little hunks about 1 T each (smaller than a ping pong ball. I'd say the size of a sea turtle egg... lol). Roll each hunk into a ball in the palms of your hands. Note: don't just form it into a ball, you have to roll it in circles your palms so that it stays together when you fry it.

Note the size of the balls in relation to a ping pong ball.

5. Heat a pan with enough oil to cover the dough balls on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and drop each dough ball in. Don't agitate them while they're still stuck to the bottom. Once they start to float up a little and roll over, agitate the pan so that the balls roll and brown evenly.
6. Let the balls brown for 5 minutes until they're dark brown. (See picture)
7. Remove from oil and put directly into syrup.



8. For best results, let the dough balls sit in syrup over night in the refrigerator. I serve them still sitting in the syrup, but you can remove them and put them into little cupcake papers.