Gulab jamun (pronounced “goe-laab DJA-moen“) is a well-known and popular Indian dessert made of fried dough balls. A type of dumpling, gulab jamun is soaked in a sweet, sticky syrup. Gulab means ‘rose water’ so, as per tradition, the sugar syrup has a delicate rose flavour. A jamun is an Indian berry with a size and colour comparable to the dough balls, hence the name: Gulab jamun.

In the sixteenth century, during the reign of Babur, the first Great Mogul, North Indian kitchens underwent major changes. Chefs came from countries and regions far and wide (including Afghanistan and Persia) to demonstrate their skills, bringing new recipes and previously unknown ingredients. Over time, these have been incorporated into the Indian cooking repertoire.

The origin of gulab jamun lay in Persia and the Mediterranean and, thanks to the introduction of white wheat flour from Central Asia, could now also be made in India. Indian chefs used khoya, a solid milk ‘paste’ that was the result of milk simmering for hours on a low heat. Nowadays, chefs use the much more convenient dried milk powder to make the dough.

Gulab jamun is internationally popular and can be found on almost every Indian restaurant menu in the world