Find Out How Gulab Jamun Is Prepared In Guyana

A popular authentic Indian sweet that is made and eaten in Guyana is gulab jamun. It is made by the East Indians and is especially made at special events as a delicacy. Gulab jamun is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from Khoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Modern recipes call for dried/powdered milk instead of Khoya. It is often garnished with dried nuts such as almonds to enhance flavor.

Origin Of Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun was first prepared in medieval India, derived from a fritter that Central Asian Turkic invaders brought to India. One theory claims that it was accidentally prepared by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s personal chef.

The word “gulab” is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and āb (water), referring to the rose water-scented syrup. “Jamun” or “jaman” is the Hindi-Urdu word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit with a similar size and shape, commonly known as black plum. The Arab dessert luqmat al-qadi is similar to gulab jamun, although it uses a different batter. According to the culinary historian Michael Krondl, both luqmat al-qadi and gulab jamun may have derived from a Persian dish, with rose water syrup being a common connection between the two.

Gulab jamun are a milk-solid-based sweet from the Indian subcontinent, originating in northern India, notably popular in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh as well as Myanmar. It is also common in Mauritius, Fiji, southern and eastern Africa, Malay Peninsula, and the Caribbean countries of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica.

Tip: Homemade gulab jamun is usually made up of powdered milk, a pinch of all-purpose flour (optional), baking powder and clarified butter (ghee); kneaded to form a dough, moulded into balls, deep fried and dropped into simmering sugar syrup.

Fun Facts About Gulab Jamun

• In some countries, gulab jamun gets its brownish red color because of the sugar content in the milk powder (khoya).
• In other types of gulab jamun, sugar is added in the batter, and after frying, the sugar caramelization gives it its dark, almost black colour, which is then called kala jam or “black jam”.
• The sugar syrup may be replaced with (slightly) diluted maple syrup for a gulab jamun.

Did You Know? In central India, gulab jamun is termed rasgulla.

How To Make Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients For The Syrup:

• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice ( prevents crystallization )

Ingredients For The Balls:

• 1 cup milk powder
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup evaporated milk (approx.)
• 1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
• ⅛ tsp baking soda

Method For Making The Syrup:

1. Set stove to medium
2. Add water to pot, add the sugar
3. Stir to dissolve the sugar
4. Add the cardamom powder and lemon juice
5. Boil for about 8 – 10 minutes to form syrup
6. The syrup should be just a bit sticky

Method For Making The Balls:

1. Add to a large bowl the milk powder, flour, baking soda and ghee
2. Mix those together well with your fingers
3. As you mix, gradually add the evaporated milk to make a soft dough (texture should be to form balls)
4. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Make small balls out of the dough (they will swell larger when frying)
6. Set stove to medium to low
7. Add vegetable oil or ghee and heat
8. Add balls once oil is hot
9. As soon as you add the balls start moving them around with the spoon so they evenly fry until golden brown.
10. Once the gulabs and the syrup has cooled a bit then add them to the syrup.
11. If added to a hot syrup, gulabs can lose their shape and shrink so wait a little.
12. It is best to leave the gulabs to soak overnight, but 4-6 hours is also okay.

Gulab Jamun In Guyana

This milky, irresistibly sweet, bite-sized dessert is usually shared among family and friends which reminds them that life is sweet once everyone is together. It is one of the most looked forward to sweet in any Indian treat. The taste so creamy and the syrup so sweet is a perfect go-to snack when one is feeling to treat himself. Gulab jamun can be eaten hot, cold or at room temperature. You eat it by simply picking up the ball, dunking it in the thick syrup and finally delicately place it on your tongue, take a bite and slowly chew. The delicious flavors of sweet and cream combined will blow your mind away. It is a dessert that many cherish in Guyana and look forward to eating especially at special occasions like weddings.

Article References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulab_jamun
• https://www.realniceguyana.com/recipes/gulab-jamun/