What is the name of the Indian dessert made from milk balls soaked in syrup?

The Indian dessert made from milk balls soaked in syrup is gulab jamun. It is traditionally prepared from khoya, or reduced milk solids, mixed with a little flour to form a soft dough. The dough is shaped into small balls, fried gently in oil or ghee, and soaked in sugar syrup flavored with ingredients such as cardamom, rose water, kewra, or saffron.

Gulab jamun is popular across India and throughout South Asia, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Maldives. Its name combines gulab, referring to rose-scented syrup, with jamun, because the finished sweets resemble the jamun fruit in size and color.

A common mix-up is rasgulla, another syrup-soaked Indian sweet. Rasgulla is made from chhena, or curdled fresh cheese, and is boiled in syrup, while gulab jamun is made from milk solids and fried before soaking. Kala jamun is a darker, more caramelized variation.