I came to a conclusion a few years ago that if I was going to make Gulab Jamuns once a year, I had to find a recipe that worked perfectly every time. I was over making dry, hockey puck like Gulab Jamuns that left you unsatisfied and unwilling to make them the following year.
The Fiji Style Gulab Jamun can be a bit of hit and miss when you make them with Flour/Self Raising Flour, ghee and condensed milk.
This recipe is slightly modified to work perfectly each time. It has beautiful flavour and the sugar syrup absorbs all the way through. I double this recipe when it comes to Diwali (using the slightly less flour as suggested below) and they come out perfect.
NOTES/HINTS
* I used white sugar in this version. When I went to make them, I did not have any raw sugar 😱. Where possible use raw sugar. Alternately you can 2 Tablespoons of soft brown sugar to white sugar.
** Even though my recipe lists 1&1/2 cups of flour, please start with 1&1/3 cup of flour. If your mix is too sticky then add 2 Tablespoons of flour (which makes up to 1&1/2 cups). Flour can vary and is better to start with a little less, mix and leave it to sit for 5 minutes. If it is still sticky the add the extra flour.
*** Do not kneed the dough. Once it comes together stop. When you are rolling the Gulab Jamuns, you are handling them more. The less you handle the dough the better it turns out. Cover you dough with damp tea towel or paper towel.
**** Make sure your tin of condensed milk is 395g. Some cans be a little less in weight and can affect your recipe.
***** Start with the syrup. Bring to a boil then turn heat low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and leave while you make your Jamuns to let the cardamon flavour infuse. Turn on your heat to warm up the syrup before you put the cooked Jamuns in. Turn off the heat when you take out the Jamuns. Syrup must be hot before Jamuns go in.
Recipe Quantities
1&1/3 cup plain flour (add another 2 TBS if required)
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk powder
1/4 finely ground semolina/suji
2 Tablespoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon (can add more if wanted)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tin (395g) condensed milk
Syrup
2 cups Raw Sugar
2 Cups Water
6 Cardamon slightly crushed (if you have the skins like I did, you can use them to flavour your syrup)
A little squeeze of lemon
See video for method.