Badam-Pista Gulab Jambu (Gulab Jamun)

Gulab Jambus are milk powder dough balls which are deep friend and then soaked in a sugar syrup. "Gulab" means rose, and "Jambu" means balls. Jambu also refers to the fruit from the Jambul tree, which are dark in color too! Gujaratis from the Western part of India say call this sweet dish "Jambu" whilst Northern Indians call then "Jamuns". I think maybe the South and East Indians too! So anyway, here is the recipe for Rose Balls :)

Chasni (Sugar Syrup) Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 5 Cardamom pods, slightly opened
• Several strands of Saffron

Gulab Jambu  Ingredients

• ¼ lb Soji (semolina)
• 1½ cups milk warm milk
• 1 tsp level Bicarbonate of Sosa
• 1 lb milk power
• ¼ lb almond and pistachio powder (I like my nuts to be a little roasted)
• ¼ tsp saffron
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Oil for deep frying

To Make the Chasni (Sugar Syrup)

1. Heat the everything for the Chasni in a large pan (we'll be adding the fried Gulab Jambus into this, so the pot needs to be big) until the sugar has melted. You  may need to stir it a couple of times.
2. Switch off the stove, and allow the syrup to cool naturally

To Make the Gulab Jambus

1. Warm the milk, and add to the soji. There should be enough milk to cover the soji and allow it to expand into the milk  Leave aside for 20 minutes
2. Heat the saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool for 2 minutes, then crush with your fingers so the strands are not long
3. Add the almond powder, pistachio powder and cardamom powder to the milk powder, and just mix.
4. Once the soji has soaked for 20 minutes, add in the crushed saffron and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well.
5. Add the soji mixture to the milk powder mixture, mix well and form a soft dough. You may need to add a little warm milk, if the dough is not soft.
6. Cover with a damp towel
7. Heat the oil on medium heat
8. Make small balls of dough (between the sizes of a dime and 5cents) and set aside. Make enough to cover ½ a single layer in your hot oil
9. Put one dough ball gently into the hot oil. If it floats up within 30 seconds, the the oil is hot enough, and add the rest of the dough balls
10. Once they have all risen to the top, keep rotating them continuously, so the balls start to brown evenly.
11. Once brown (after about 2-3 minutes) take out, and allow to cool
12. Repeat rolling balls / frying with the next batch
13. Just before you're about to take the current batch out, add the previous batch to the sugar syrup
14. Repeat 8-13.
15. Each time you add the fried gulab jambus to the sugar syrup, toss them gently, so the new batch is covered.
16. Leave for a couple of hours, tossing them every 45 mins, so that all the gulab jambus soak the sugar syrup up 

You can store these in the fridge, in an airtight container for a week or more! Just warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to get to room temperature, or leave out for a an hour or so until they are room temperature warm!