Easy Instant Gulab Jamun | Gits Instant mix Gulab Jamun recipe

Instant Gulab Jamun recipe is very easy to make soft and perfect gulab jamuns instantly using Gits gulab jamun premix.

Desserts, baked or fried are my weakness. Gulab jamun is one of the sweets that make me go weak on my knees. And, I’m sure it is a weakness for many too.

I have grown up eating this delight. As making the traditional sweet with khoya from scratch is a time taking process and requires precision, mom made it with gits instant mix. It was a common dessert during festivals (Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi), special occasions, birthdays, or on weekends.

When I made gulab jamuns for the first time, I faced many issues. Though the recipe is mentioned at the back of the pack, the texture and color of the jamuns made at home do not match the ones on the pack.

The common problems while making gulab jamuns:

1. There are cracks while making the balls.

2. Sometimes, the inside part is hard and uncooked.

3. Gulab jamuns are over soft. They break when touched.

4. The outer covering is crumbly/mushy.

5. Gulab jamuns do not get even color.

After experimenting a few times, I can confidently say, with this foolproof recipe you can make crack-free, soft, and melt-in-mouth just like store-bought gulab jamuns.

This made me write the blog post with all the answers to the most common problems faced while making instant gulab jamun.

What is Gulab Jamun?

Gulab Jamun is an Indian mithai (dessert) that does not need an introduction.

The traditional Indian sweet dish is made from a dough of milk solids and deep-fried, later soaked in a warm flavored/scented sugar syrup.

It is surprising to know that one of the most loved Indian desserts is not from India.

This sweet dish hails from Persia. The culinary masterpiece was introduced to Indian cuisine during the Mughal Era.

As per Wikipedia, the word “Gulab” is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and ab (water), referring to the rose water-scented syrup. “Jamun” or “jaman” is the Hindi word for an Indian fruit of a similar size and shape, commonly known as black plum.

Gulab Jamun is known by various names such as Gulab Jam or Gulaabjaanu.

Every meal in a marriage/wedding, ceremony, function, banquet, or buffet at an upscale fine-dining restaurant or multi-cuisine restaurant is incomplete without this luscious desi delight. It is a center of attraction and most of the eyes are on them.

The varieties seen in Gulab Jamun are;

Angoori gulab jamun: they are small in size, just like angoor (grapes).

Golden brown gulab jamun

Kala (black color) jamun

About Instant Gulab Jamun recipe

There are different ways to make gulab jamun – with homemade or store-bought khoya, or milk powder. These two recipes need precision and expertise to make.

Today’s post is the easiest and quickest way to make soft, succulent, and tastes as good as store-bought by using the ready mix Gits. It not only reduces the preparation time of measuring the ingredients but also is super easy to make without any expertise in cooking.

Following the instructions at the back of the pack will give good results but there are a few crucial cooking steps for the best result. All the necessary tips are mentioned below. Do not miss even one of them.

The instant gulab jamun recipe is super easy and can be divided into 3 steps:

1. Making the soft and pliable dough.

2. Making the sugar syrup.

3. Shaping into round balls and frying.

4. Soak them in the sugar syrup.

You may ask why Gits brand? There are many different brands of instant gulab jamun mix available in the market. At home, the Gits brand is our favorite for more than 30 plus years for the following reasons;

Started in 1963, it is the first company to launch the instant mixes category in India.

Multilayer packing.

No added colors and flavors.

No added preservatives. 

You can use the same recipe for other brands too.

Reasons to make

Beginner-friendly recipe

Incredibly delicious and indulgent!

Does not need a lot of time.

Soft and melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Satisfies instant craving for gulab jamun.

Favorite of all age groups.

Making the gulab jamun dough is effortless and smooth.

The 200 grams pack yields 35-40 mid-sized gulab jamuns, which is value for money.

Sugar to Water ratio for sugar syrup

The most recommended sugar to water ratio is 1:1 which means 1 cup of sugar for 1 cup of water. However, it majorly depends on the sweetness of sugar and an individual’s liking.

For, me 1:1 is overly sweet. So, I add an extra 1/2 cup of water.

Pro Tips

You do not want hard, dense, and cracked gulab jamuns. Unlike Indian curries, desserts are irreparable. So, follow these intricate tips compiled below to make perfect gulab jamuns.

1. Making the gulab jamun dough.

Empty the packet into a bowl or a wide plate. If there are any lumps, break them. Add milk in batches and with clean fingers, mix gently until it comes together.

The dough will look sticky. Do not worry, that is exactly what we want. As it sets, you will be able to make crack-free balls. If the dough is tight, there will be cracks while making the balls and they will further open up while frying.

Do not knead the dough: Unlike khoya dough, instant mix dough does not need kneading. Overworking the dough will develop more gluten than needed.

Cover the dough with a lid or invert a bowl like I did and keep it aside for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the syrup.

2. Making the sugar syrup.

In this recipe, I have used 3 cups of sugar and 3.5 cups of water. This may sound a lot but it is important so that each fried ball soaks well in the syrup.

To make the sugar syrup, use a wide and deep pan. The fried jamuns will double in size. So, they need enough space to expand. Avoid using a heavy bottom pan that retains too much heat, the sugar syrup will continue to cook and thicken too much.

The consistency of sugar syrup is the key. It should have a sticky consistency but should not have a string appearance.

Syrup test: if you stick your pointer finger into the syrup, it will resemble a layer of oil.

To make sugar syrup, add water and sugar to the pan. Heat over medium flame until the sugar dissolves completely. At this stage add cardamom powder to enhance the flavor. When the sugar-water mixture comes to a boil, simmer on low flame for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat, cover the pan, and keep it aside.

At home, we never felt the need to add a little acid to prevent the sugar syrup from crystallizing after cooling. You can add a few lemon drops so that the syrup remains a smooth liquid even at cooler temperatures.

If there is plenty of sugar syrup leftover, use it to make other sweets like sooji halwa, kheer, or even pancakes.

3. Shaping into round balls and frying.

3.1. Shaping

By now, the dough has been set and it is less sticky. Grease your palms with some ghee, take a small portion of the dough, and roll it between your palms. Roll it to your desired shape (circular or elongated oval) and size (mini to large), and set them aside. I have rolled to medium size.

As the dough is soft, there are no chances of any cracks. But, if there are any cracks, add a teaspoon of milk and gently mix the dough.

3.2. Frying

Use a deep bottom pan, preferably a kadhai. The quantity of oil/ghee is the key. It should be enough to cover the rolled balls completely while deep frying. If the oil is less, the ball will sink to the bottom of the pan and get a hot spot (darker color) or stick to the bottom.

Heat the oil over medium flame. When it is warm, turn the flame to low.

Oil test: The temperature of the oil plays a crucial role in soft texture.

Take a small piece of the dough and add it to the oil. If the ball sinks to the bottom and rises up slowly while it bubbles, the temperature is perfect for frying. If the ball comes up instantly and the color changes, the oil is too hot. To cool it, add more oil/ghee or switch off the flame for a few minutes.

If the rolled balls lose their shape (the bottom surface gets flat), give a quick roll between your palms before transferring them to the oil.

How to fry: Create a cyclone in the warm oil by stirring the oil with a mesh ladle in the corners. Add the balls in batches depending on the size of the frying pan without overcrowding. By doing so the balls will not sink to the bottom and get dark color. The balls will slowly start floating on the top.

Stir the oil from the corners without touching the gulab jamuns for even coloring. Fry until they turn golden brown and add them to the warm sugar syrup.

If you feel the fried jamuns have too much oil in them, remove them onto a tissue paper to drain the excess oil and drop them into the syrup. It will prevent the syrup from becoming oily.

Note: Do not fry for more time, the outer layer will become hard.

Repeat the same process with the remaining balls.

4. Soak them in the sugar syrup.

Make sure the sugar syrup is warm before adding the fried jamuns. Soak them for at least 2 hours for best results or more until they double in size. Serve warm or cold.

If you are planning to serve it for a party or get together, prepare this sweet a day ahead. You can reheat them before serving or serve them chilled.

In the above section, I have explained the challenges, common mistakes, and their fixes. Apart from these, if you have any more questions, please let me know in the comments below. I will be glad to answer them.

Ingredients to make Gulab Jamun with Instant mix

Instant Gulab Jamun mix: I used Gits Gulab Jamun Mix. It is easily available in the Indian grocery stores, supermarkets, and online. You can buy any good brand premix.

Milk or water: To knead the dough. I always prefer to use milk for kneading the dough. Compared to water, dough kneaded with milk will be softer. Boil the milk and let it cool to room temperature.

Oil or Ghee: Traditionally, ghee is used to fry the jamuns. I have used sunflower oil. You can use ghee or any neutral flavor oil, or half oil and half ghee to get its authentic flavor.

Sugar: Use white granulated sugar.

Water: To make the sugar syrup.

Green Cardamom: It adds flavor and aroma to the sugar syrup. You can grind them to a fine powder or crush them in a mortar and pestle.

How to make Perfect Gulab Jamuns with Gits instant mix

Make the dough

Take gulab jamun mix in a wide plate or bowl. If there are any lumps, break them with your fingers.

Add milk little by little and mix gently until it comes together. For 200 grams pack, I used 1/4 cup of milk.

Cover the dough and keep it aside for at least 15 minutes.

Make the sugar syrup

Take water and sugar in a deep pan. Heat it over medium flame.

Add cardamom (crushed/powder)

Let the water come to a boil. Turn the flame to low and cook for 10 minutes.

Switch off the flame and keep it aside.

Make the balls and fry

The dough will be less sticky.

Take some clarified butter (ghee).

Grease your palms with some ghee. Take a small piece of the dough and roll it between your palms. Roll it until you make a smooth and crack-free ball.

Make a batch of balls depending on the frying pan size.

Note: If the balls are kept for a long time, they will get pressed from the bottom. So, roll each ball again before adding it to the oil.

Heat oil in a pan over medium flame. When it is warm, turn the flame to low.

Create a cyclone by stirring the oil with a ladle in the corners. When the oil rotates, drop the rolled balls.

Note: If you cannot create the cyclone, add the jamun balls and stir with a ladle without touching the gulab jamuns.

The balls will slowly start floating to the top.

Stir the oil at the corners without touching the gulab jamuns for even coloring. Fry until they turn golden brown.

Use a mesh ladle and add them to the warm sugar syrup. Continue with the next batch.

Soak the gulab jamuns

Let the balls soak in syrup for a minimum of 2 hours or until they double in size.

How to make Kala Jamun

When the gulab jamuns are golden in color, increase the flame to medium-high. Fry till the color change to black.

Note: Kala jamuns are just a darker color gulab jamuns. So, once the gulab jamuns are cooked, increase the flame to medium and cook until they get a darker color. By cooking on medium flame, the outer layer also gets a bit firm.

Add the dark color balls to the sugar syrup and let them soak till they double in size.

If the sugar syrup is not warm, heat on low flame until the syrup is warm.

Serving Suggestions

There are a variety of options to serve.

Serve them warm, as they will be softest and tastiest. A bite and it just melts in your mouth, then travels through your food pipe filling it with its warmth and the sugar syrup revealing its subtle cardamom aroma.

Sprinkle chopped nuts on top as a garnish.

Serve at room temperature or refrigerate them and serve chilled.

Some people like to pair them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you have not tried this delicious contrast of warm and cold temperatures, give it a try and thank me later.

Storage Suggestions

The gulab jamuns stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature.

In the refrigerator, you can store them in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Before serving you can reheat them in a microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.

Variations

Can keep the sugar syrup plain without any flavoring ingredient.

You can flavor the sugar syrup with rose water, vanilla extract, or saffron (6-8 strands are enough) for a golden hue color in syrup.

Can stuff with finely chopped dry fruits such as pistachios, cashews, raisins, or almonds.

More Indian dessert recipes

Vermicelli Kheer

Rice Kheer with Jaggery

Sooji Halwa

If you’ve tried this Instant Gulab Jamun recipe with Gits dessert mix, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Feedback and suggestions are highly appreciated. Also, please share the recipes with your friends and family members.

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