| The World of Jewish Desserts | Simon & Schuster, 2000 | Makes about 20 balls
Gulab jamun is a traditional Hannukah treat among the Bene Israel of Bombay, combining the holiday’s two primary food symbols — dairy and fried. Although gulab means “rose water” in Hindi, some people omit it from the ingredients in this recipe. Originally, this dish was made by cooking the milk over low heat for an extended period until thickened. The invention of dry milk powder led to this easier version.–Gil Marks
LC Make It As You Will Note: As Gil Marks explains above, this dough was originally made by gently simmering milk over low heat for an extended period until thick and almost curd-like. In many modern recipes, including the one below, powdered milk makes an able, if slightly less rich, stand-in. We certainly didn’t note any lack of milky richness, although Marks notes in his Encyclopedia of Jewish Food that a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side more than makes up for any lack of dairy goodness, whether real or imagined.
Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes, not including cooling.
Indian Milk Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2 cups granulated or brown sugar
- 2 cups water
- 4 to 5 cardamom pods, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
Directions
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1. Combine the milk powder, flour, and baking soda. Drizzle with the butter and rub between your fingers until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gradually stir in the milk until the dough just holds together. Knead briefly until smooth. Divide the dough into 20 equal balls, each about 1 1/2 teaspoons.
2. Heat at least 1 inch of oil over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
3. Fry the balls in batches, turning frequently, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove with a wire mesh skimmer and place on a wire rack to drain. Let cool.
4. Stir the sugar and water over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes (it will register 225°F [110°C] on a candy thermometer). Meanwhile, discard the outer shell of the cardamom pods and crush the seeds. Stir the cardamom and rose water, if using, into the syrup.
5. Drizzle the warm syrup over the cooled fritters and let stand for at least 3 hours. Serve the fritters, chilled or at room temperature, in a little syrup. The fritters can be covered and stored in the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Pakoras from Sophisticated Gourmet
- Crispy Zucchini Fritters from No Recipes
- Banana Fritters from Leite’s Culinaria
- Ricotta Fritters from Leite’s Culinaria
Indian milk fritters recipe © 2000 Gil Marks. Photo © goodwill2006. All rights reserved.
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[Julie Tabora] This is a classic Indian dessert, and this recipe is easy enough and yummy enough for all of us to bring a bit of India into our homes! A guaranteed crowd pleaser! The only change I would make is to use whole milk, as the nonfat milk didn’t produce the silkiness they so deserve.