Gulab Jamun: Milk Dumplings in Cardamom and Saffron Syrup

Make the syrup. Warm the sugar, water, cardamom pods and saffron in the medium pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 5 min until lightly syrupy but not thick. Off the heat stir in the lemon juice and rose water if using, then cover to keep warm.

Make the dough. Mix the milk powder, flour, baking powder and ground cardamom in the bowl. Rub in the ghee until it looks like damp sand, then add the yoghurt and most of the milk and bring together gently with your fingertips into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add the remaining milk a teaspoon at a time only if dry. Do not knead. Cover and rest for 10 min.

Shape the balls. Grease your palms with ghee and roll the dough into 16 balls of about 25 g each. Roll each one until completely smooth: cracks open up in the oil. Keep them covered.

Heat the oil. Heat the oil in the heavy pan to 145 °C. Keep it between 140 and 150 °C throughout, adjusting the heat as you go.

Fry slowly. Fry one test ball first, then 5 or 6 at a time, for 8-10 min, stirring the oil gently so they roll and colour evenly to a deep brown. They will swell a little. Cut the test ball open: the centre should be soft and cake-like right through. If it browns in under 6 min the oil is too hot and the middles will stay doughy.

Soak. Drain each batch on the kitchen paper for 1 min, then drop into the warm syrup. Cover and leave for at least 2 h, turning occasionally, so they absorb the syrup and swell.

Serve. Serve at room temperature or warmed gently in the syrup, with a little syrup spooned over and pistachio slivers on top.