Gulab Jamun/Mango Indian

I love me some donut holes; I remember my dad getting them when I was a kid. Really, anything fried and doughy in a round shape, and I’m good to go. This becomes all the more interesting when you break out of the typical realm of deep-fried dough — how about a variation from southern Asia? I got there via Oakwood Mall, and Mango Indian‘s Gulab Jamun:

These are deep-fried sticky sweet dough balls; in the traditional form of gulab jamun, the balls come from milk solids reduced to a softer type of dough. What really makes this stand out is that sticky sweetness: oftentimes, a simple syrup of rose water and cardamom is used.

I ordered the five-piece version; as I started to eat, I picked up on that floral, neo-fruity essence in the sauce that was in the basin of the container (and which covered the dough balls). The cardamom immediately reminds me of a lot of my mom’s cooking: she loves to add cardamom to sweet-oriented dishes. This gulab jamun is a stand-out dessert compared to much of what you would find in the Eau Claire area.

Mango Indian can only be found in Café Court in Oakwood Mall, so if you want to try what I tried, you’ll want to head over there. And you will be in for one of the tastier-yet-different desserts in the Chippewa Valley. It’s a sweet way to go a little global in western Wisconsin.