Take khoya (at room temperature) in a large dish and crumble it. Measure it and mash it with fingers.

Add maida and baking soda.

Mix it well. It will form crumble like texture. Then add a teaspoon of water and mash it again. Add little by little water to get a smooth dough.

Note -Do not knead dough very fine, just try to gather the mixture and smooth it out.

It took 2 teaspoons of water for me to get this smooth dough. Quantity of water depends on the texture of khoya. The dough shouldn't be too sticky and should form a smooth ball. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Add sugar,water, saffron and cardamom in a sauce pan. Bring it a boil.

Let the sugar syrup simmer on low heat for 7 - 8 minutes. The sugar syrup consistency will be sticky but no thread is required.

Add rose essence and mix.

Sugar syrup is ready. Keep it aside.

Now take the dough and make small dough balls out of it. I made 14 balls in total.

- Never apply pressure while preparing dough balls. Just roll them to smooth balls.

Place a wok on medium heat and add oil or ghee. Let it heat up.

At right temperature, slide 4-5 dough balls into the oil. Don't overcrowd the wok.

Start frying using wooden spatula without poking the jamuns for 3- 4 minutes till they become golden in colour.

Note - To get even coloured gulab jamuns I use wok with handle and slowly shake in circular motion to make the gulab jamuns roll in oil.

Take the gulab jamun out and soak extra oil using paper napkins.

Now dip them in luke warm sugar syrup.

Gulab jamun are ready to serve. 2 hours soaking in syrup will give best result.