Gulab Jamun reigns supreme as ‘national sweet’

Shopkeepers say demand for the sweet typically increases during winter

MULTAN: Recently, the official Twitter account for the government of Pakistan conducted an interesting survey. They asked the people of the internet to choose between jalaibi, barfi and gulab jamun as the ‘national sweet’. Unsurprisingly, 47% of those who participated in the survey declared gulab jamun as the clear winner.

Popular among citizens of all age groups, gulab jamun is a dessert known for its sweet taste and soft texture. Hassan, a shopkeeper in Multan, says that the demand for gulab jamun typically increases during the winter. “As the majority of people get married during the winter months, weddings are considered incomplete without a serving of hot gulab jamuns,” he says.

“In my family, when a bride sets foot into her new home after getting married, a plate of gulab jamun is placed in her lap,” says Muqqaddas Khatoon, a housewife. They are then distributed to all the unmarried boys and girls as a blessing to speed along their own nuptials, she explains. Fazal Hussain, a renowned connoisseur of all things sweet and a man who deals solely in confectionaries, reveals that the perfect gulab jamuns are prepared by executing three steps.

“First, eggs, butter, baking powder, semolina and wheat flour are used to prepare dough. Then the dough is used to make small, round balls,” says Hussain. Secondly, these balls of dough are fried in oil until they turn a light brown.

The final step is to soak the balls of dough in a tub of hot sugar syrup. Once they have soaked up the syrup, they can be garnished with dry fruits such as almonds and pistachios before being served, he states.

However, where there are believers, there are naysayers. Many have come forward online to say that the Twitter poll is not a reflection of ground realities. How can gulab jamuns reign supreme when such a thing as barfi exists, questioned many. While many may not see eye-to-eye on this debate, the gulab jamun will always enjoy a soft spot in the hearts of most.

“When I buy a box of mithai, I always ask the shopkeeper to add more gulab jamun,” says Sarfaraz, a local. “Whether you are announcing the birth of a child or a new job, the occasion the incomplete without gulab jamun,” he says. Even on religious occasions such as Eid, Diwali and Christmas, gulab jamuns are a must, he adds.