Equipment
Ingredients
Sugar Syrup (Chashni)
- 300 g white sugar
- 375 ml water
- 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- saffron strands, optional
- 5 ml rose water
Pistachio Dough
- 40 g unsalted shelled pistachios, finely ground
- 110 g milk powder
- 30 g all-purpose flour (maida)
- 1½ g baking soda
- 5 g ghee, melted
- 60 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 1 drop green food coloring, optional
Frying and Garnish
- 500 ml ghee or neutral oil
- 10 g pistachios, slivered
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 121 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 50 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 118 mg
- Calcium
- 64 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 66 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 25 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, and crushed cardamom pods. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until sticky. Stir in saffron and rose water. Keep warm.
Pulse the 40g of shelled pistachios in a grinder until they reach a fine flour-like consistency. Be careful not to over-process into nut butter.
Sieve the ground pistachios, milk powder, all-purpose flour, and baking soda into a mixing bowl to remove any lumps.
Rub the melted ghee into the dry mixture. If using food coloring, mix it into the milk. Gradually add milk to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not knead.
Grease palms and roll dough into 18 smooth balls. Ensure there are no cracks, as the nut oils can make the dough more prone to splitting.
Heat oil to approximately 130°C (266°F). Fry the jamuns on low-medium heat for 7-10 minutes, swirling the oil constantly until they reach a deep golden brown.
Drain jamuns and soak in warm syrup for at least 2 hours. Garnish with slivered pistachios before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The ground pistachios add fat to the dough, so you may need slightly less milk than the standard recipe.
- Ensure the pistachios are ground as finely as possible; coarse bits will cause the jamuns to crack during frying.
- A drop of green food coloring helps the interior pop with color, though the outside will still be brown from frying.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in syrup in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without syrup for best texture preservation.
Reheating: Warm in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften the ghee and nut fats.
Cultural Context
Pistachios (Pista) are a prized ingredient in Royal Mughlai cuisine and are often used to elevate traditional Indian sweets for special occasions and luxury gifting.
