I have been looking at Indian cooking sites online to get a list of 'must eats' together, and found a picture and brief description of gulab jaamun. I can't really imagine what the texture of the balls is like inside. Anyone tried this and able to feedback? Also, are they teeth achingly sweet?
Gulan Jamun are easily my most favorite Indian sweet, even though I don't like sweet foods much. The extent of sweetness varies and depends on the syrup in which the balls are dipped. The syrup is mostly sugar syrup as far as I know. They are very easy to make as well.
I find that Indian sweets generally have a different sort of sweetness from sweets from the West. They're often not as sweet as, for instance, a meringue, cream, and chocolate concoction from Belgium, but they are sweet in a different way, and also, for me, much more substantial. This makes them more filling, too - I can generally only eat one or two, whereas I can wolf down a bag of M&Ms without giving it a second thought. I'm trying to figure out how to describe the texture. They're soft. Perhaps a little like cookie dough. Definitely worth trying, though, both because they're tasty and they're a staple in India, so it's a good thing to try to get a feeling for Indian favourites, as testified to by @thedeatheater1410!
I have tried to make these recently. I think I did fairly well for a first try, and I still have the necessary items to make more. I feel like what I made is probably not equal to what one would find in an authentic Indian Restaurant here in the states, let alone what one would find in India. Making sweets seems to be trickier for me, as I don't really have a baseline to compare my results to. I definitely agree with Elizabeonth, it was not as sweet as I had expected, it is a different kind of sweet.
The main ingredient of gulab jamun is milk powder to which a bit of butter, maida, milk and soda is added. This is kneaded well into tiny balls and deep fried until it gets the golden colour. The ghee or oil should not be overheated. The sugar syrup should be of one string consistency. The balls should be lowered in the syrup when it is hot. Cardamom powder is added to the syrup. Topping the balls with pistachio adds to their taste. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
I went to Nasik once and while staying at a hotel there they served us gulab jamun with vanilla ice cream. It sounds a bit odd at first but believe me it taste out of this world. Its something that you can easily have at home too, get some gulab jamuns at home, heat them up a bit and serve with vanilla ice cream!
It's not just the combo of gulab jamun and ice cream, but many others. I've actually been watching what people eat at weddings (I know bad manners), some make their own combinations and to be honest they taste too good. One of the new combos I tried was jalebi with ice cream, then there is kheer with jam, also moti choor ladoo with crushed biscuits and cream. Some may sound weird but believe me they are heavenly.
