Pratyusha Pan
Ingredients
For the dumplings, you'll need 130 g full-fat milk powder, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (maida), 1 tablespoon softened ghee, a quarter teaspoon of baking soda, and about 60 ml warm milk, adding it only as needed. For the syrup, gather 300 g sugar, 360 ml water, 4 crushed green cardamom pods, a pinch of saffron strands, half a teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of rose water. You'll also need about 500 ml ghee or neutral oil for frying.
Boil the sugar and water with the cardamom and saffron for 5-6 minutes until slightly sticky. It doesn't need to reach one-string consistency. Stir in the lemon juice to prevent crystallising, then add the rose water. Keep it warm.
Whisk the milk powder, flour, and baking soda together in a bowl. Rub in the ghee with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
Add the warm milk a spoonful at a time, gathering everything into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead very lightly for under a minute, since over-kneading makes hard jamuns. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 16-18 portions. Roll each between greased palms into a smooth, crack-free ball, because any cracks will open up while frying. Keep them small, as they double in size.
Heat the ghee or oil on low-medium (about 120-130°C). Fry the balls in batches, swirling gently, for 6-8 minutes until deep golden brown all over. Drain, then drop them into the warm (not boiling) syrup. Let them soak for at least 1 hour before serving.
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