Gulab Jamun (Dairy-Free)
Soft fried dumplings soaked in a cardamom-and-saffron sugar syrup scented with rose water — a dairy-free take on the classic that swaps the usual milk-solid dough and ghee for coconut milk and oil.
About this dish
Traditional gulab jamun is built on khoya — milk reduced for hours until it's nearly solid — fried in ghee and soaked in syrup, a dessert found at nearly every celebration across India. This version substitutes coconut milk for the khoya-based dough and a neutral oil for the ghee; the texture holds up remarkably well because what gulab jamun actually depends on is fat and a soft, slightly spongy crumb that drinks up syrup, both of which coconut milk and oil deliver on their own terms.
- Vegan
- Lactose-free
- Contains gluten because of Self-raising flour
Ingredients
- 300gCaster sugar
- 400mlWater
- 6piecesGreen cardamom pods
- 1gSaffron threads
- 150gSelf-raising flour
- 200mlFull-fat coconut milk
- 500mlSunflower oil
- 2tbspRose water
Instructions
Simmer the sugar, water, cardamom pods and saffron together until the sugar fully dissolves into a light syrup.
10 minTip: Keep it a light syrup, not a thick one — jamun need a syrup they can actually soak into, and a syrup reduced too far just sits on the surface.
Mix the flour and coconut milk into a soft, slightly sticky dough, and rest it for 10 minutes.
15 minTip: Don't overwork the dough once it comes together — the less you handle it, the softer the fried dumplings end up.
Roll the dough into smooth balls with no cracks, and deep-fry over gentle, steady heat until deep golden-brown all the way through.
12 minTip: Gentle heat is non-negotiable here — too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks, leaving a raw centre under a dark crust.
Drop the warm fried balls into the warm syrup, stir in the rose water, and let them soak until plump.
20 minTip: They need real time in the syrup, not a quick dip — a properly soaked jamun should feel like it might burst syrup when you bite it.