Gulab Jamun

56 Comments / Festival food, Sweets / By

Wish you all a very happy Deepavali/Diwali.

Gulab Jamun must be one of the most loved sweets in India. These days it is very easy to make them at home using ready made Gulab Jamun mixes, but few years ago, that was not the case. I used to make them from milk. It was a long process as making of khova or khoya takes a lot of time, but the hard work brings very good results. 

To make khova at home, heat milk in a thick bottomed pan on a medium-low flame. Keep mixing it once in a while making sure the milk does not get sticked to the bottom of the pan. When the milk has reduced to 1/4th quantity, you need to keep mixing it continuously to avoid sticking. When the milk has almost lost all liquid and got dry, it is called khova. 

Khova is readily available in markets these days. It can be used to make these jamuns.

Ingredients for Jamuns:
1 cup khova
1/4 cup maida (all purpose flour)
1/4 tea spn baking soda
Ghee for deep frying.

For syrup:
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
1/4 tea spn cardamom powder
1 tea spn rose water(optional)

Method:
Mix khova, maida and soda very well to make a smooth dough.

Make small balls from them (they increase in volume after frying and soaking the syrup, so do not make them too big).

In a separate vessel, heat sugar and water. When the syrup starts boiling, switch off heat. Add cardamom powder and rose water(if using).
Deep fry the jamuns in ghee and add them to hot syrup. I add them to syrup when both jamuns and syrup are hot. This helps jamun to soak the syrup easily. Allow them to soak the syrup for few hours and then serve.

Makes about 14 jamuns

PS: The quality of jamuns largely depends on the khova used. I never used store bought khova, I always make it at home. Try one batch, if the jamuns break as soon as they are dropped in ghee, instead of wasting the remaining dough, you can make pedas from them.

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56 thoughts on “Gulab Jamun”

  1. vani

    Happy Diwali to you and your family…. where can i buy khova from?

    Shilpa: Indian store if you are outside India. In india, they may be available at bakeries.

    Reply
  2. Suma

    WOW…so mouth-watering! i wish to eat one right now 😉
    This is a double treat in one….making of khova & jamuns too! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Ujwal

    Hi Shilpa,
    I have always wanted to make jamuns from scratch.. but we do not get khova here.. so never attempted it.. Will try your method soon.. Thanks..BTW I made your Mysore pak again and this time it came perfect! Thanks a lot dear

    Reply
  6. Aruna

    Happy Diwali to Varadpachi and the entire family. Never tried making from scratch. Hopefully someday with this neat recipe.

    Reply
  9. Nupur

    Those look sooo delicious! Now I am wishing I bought khova powder from Patel Bros when I had the chance.
    Happy Diwali to you and your family!!

    Reply
  15. veda

    Hi Shilpa,

    A very happy diwali to your and your family!

    Mouthwatering jamoons there. I should try your from scratch recipe of jamoon! Your description sounds very easy! I will definitely give it a try.

    Best Regards,
    Veda

    Reply
  18. Ophilia

    hai
    it’s really very nice is that Gulab-jamun is also can made by Khoya. Somewhere i read about it, and by ur site we all come to know also its very appriciable.
    Instead of making all this we can make more easily than this with milk powder. Where as i use make with 3 cups of milk powder and 1 cup of maida or all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp of bkg soda and little melted ghee and combine all together and make small balls and deep fry.Finally immerse them in sugar syrup.

    Reply
  19. sia

    although lenghty process of making gulab jamun from scatch, the taste compensates all the hardwork went in making them.
    wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Diwali 🙂

    Reply
  20. Swapna

    Hi Shilpa,
    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Feeling like to try right away.Can you tell me what type of milk we should use to make khoya?
    whole milk or any other?
    Thanks.

    Shilpa: For best results, use whole milk. It takes very long time to make khova, so be prepared. About 6 cups milk makes 1 cup of khova

    Reply
  24. CHETNA

    Happy Diwali Varada Pacchi , Shilpa and to you entire family !!!

    Those Gulab Jamuns sure look yummy !!!

    Have a great Diwali !!

    Reply
  25. Arun Shanbhag

    Happy Diwali Shilpa and family!

    and since you are not yet moving to Boston,
    can you find us jobs in Kansas? preferably close to where you live. So I can come over for these mouth watering jamuns and all those other Diwali sweets you have been making?

    🙂

    Reply
  26. Arun Shanbhag

    Ooops! Varada Mai made those Jamuns!
    Namaskar, Mai!

    Sorry, Shilpa, cancel that Kansas move; I think we’ll move to Kumta/Kodkani!

    🙂

    Shilpa: Infact, both of us made Jamuns and both were hits. So you have a choice now. If you ask me, Kumta would be a better move because aayi is the best 🙂

    Reply
  27. gowri

    Hi shilpa and fly…. a very happy diwali.
    Nice looking jamuns.
    Shilpa, this is how you can make instant khova at home: I always use this method whenever recipe calls for khova.
    Take 1 cup milk powder in a bowl and slowly add evaporated milk to it until it forms a smooth sticky dough. Freeze for 30 minutes and then grate.

    Reply
  32. dhanya

    hi dear….hope u had a real glittering Diwali…your gulab jamuns and rasgullas look awesome..i am going to try Rasgullas today..till seeing your recipe i too had thought they were too difficult to make…thank you for the inspiration that you give ..

    by the way , during a trip to Coorg,we happened to eat Neer Dosa…Do you have its recipe?

    Shilpa: It is on the site. Please check under dosa corner (it is also called Pan polo/soyi polo in Konkani).

    Reply
  34. Gopi

    Hey Shilpa,
    I like ur recipe but Can i use cottage cheese instead of khoya? bcs in this part of us, i don’t find khoya in indian store

    Shilpa: I have seen some recipes of GJ with cottage cheese, but have not tried them. Sorry.

    Reply
  36. meenal

    hi shilpa,
    thanks for d receipe. This year i tried wit readymade mix packet of jamoons but after putting it in sugar syrup thy all became too soft n started peeling its outer cover of jamoons n breaking too. so codnt serve my guests. So plz. can u suggest how not to hapn next time. Also tl me syrup n jamoons shd b hot or cold wen immersed in it. Thank you.

    Meenal

    Reply
  38. Vijaya

    This is the exact recipe my grandma and mom use, to make gulab jamun. I do the same and make my own gova as well. I am glad there are some who still take the extra step to keep things traditional. A varaiation is to mix Dates, sugar candy, and some nuts as pooran in the middle, it is very tasty and different. My kids love the jamuns with out any pooran though.

    Reply
  39. rikaza

    can i know what is khova.. can we put milkmai instead of khova….if not what can we add instead of khova

    Shilpa: Its already explained in the post. Please read the post. I don’t know the recipe with milkmaid.

    Reply
  42. Nazia

    Thanks for sharing the recipe surely ll try soon u ll get (khoya it is also known as mawa) in indian sweet shop usually grocer does not keep khoya or mawa in the grocery shop

    Reply
  48. Priya

    Shilpa,

    Recently stumbled upon ur site and im loving it. 🙂 You are indeed very talented dear with so many recipes.
    I just have a doubt..Which milk would u advise me to use here? I too live in US. I guess i will have to use Whole milk..please clarify.
    As of now, i use khoya in my carrot halwa. And i make khoya with half and half milk put in Microwave for 30 mins.

    TIA
    Priya

    Reply

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