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DISCOVERING GULAB JAMUN AND INDIAN DESSERTS IN WESTERN SYDNEY

Founder of The Modern Desi Co, Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar, takes us all on a delightful adventure through Western Sydney, sharing with us Indian desserts that taste like a piece of her homeland. Bhavna is a Mumbai-born, Sydney-based entrepreneur with 12 years of experience in the food industry, focusing on Indian cuisine and cultural immersion. Bhavna designs distinctive Indian cooking classes and food tours that provide cultural insights, showcasing the diversity and variety of Indian food.

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One of my earliest memories of ‘Gulab Jamun’ was my father getting a big box of hot jamuns from the most famous shop in Ulhasnagar where we lived, and my brother and I fighting over the last piece.  

 

Gulab Jamun, its name has a poetic charm: “Gulab” comes from the Persian word for rose, while “Jamun” in Hindi refers to a small, dark purple plum that the sweet resembles once fried. Though now a quintessential Indian dessert, it traces its origins to Persia (modern-day Iran), where a similar deep-fried treat called Luqmat Al-Qadi was widely enjoyed. According to legend, this dessert travelled to India with Turkish invaders and was later refined in the lavish Mughal kitchens - eventually transforming into the syrup-soaked indulgence we relish today. 


 

The best Gulab Jamuns are made by mixing khoya (milk solids) with plain flour and a touch of baking soda, kneading it with milk, shaped into small, smooth balls, deep-fried in ghee and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup infused with flavours like cardamom or saffron. The soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and comforting sweetness have made it loved worldwide. Go to any Indian restaurant and you will most probably see it on their menu. If the restaurant doesn’t make their own, they can rely on ready-made canned versions, produced by numerous brands, which are inexpensive and widely available in any stores selling Indian goods - making it the go-to choice for an instant sugar fix after a hearty Indian meal.


But as someone who has eaten and made more Gulab Jamuns than I can count, I sometimes feel that its popularity overshadows the vast world of Indian sweets that deserve just as much love. India is a land of not just many cuisines but also desserts and thankfully now, we can find a lot of them in Sydney, if we know where to find them.



So, I set out across Western Sydney with The WEST Journal to explore dessert shops offering more than just the classic favourite. Our first stop was Chatkaaz Sweets & Namkeen in Harris Park - a branch of the popular Chatkaaz Vegetarian Restaurant, just down the street. Founded over a decade ago by three friends who moved to Sydney as students and missed the flavours of home, Chatkaaz has since become a much-loved hub for everything from Indian street food to traditional mithai. 

 

They produce and sell over 100 varieties of sweets, making it a paradise for anyone craving authentic Indian desserts. From creamy delights like Rasmalai to an assortment of Pedhas, Barfis, and Halwas made from flour, lentils, and even vegetables along with piping hot Jalebis, the selection is extensive. And just like at a gelato shop, you can ask for a small taste before choosing your favourites. 



Our next stop was A2B - a well-known South Indian restaurant with locations in Norwest and Harris Park. While they specialise in delicious vegetarian cuisine from Chennai, they also offer an impressive range of freshly made desserts crafted with generous amounts of Ghee. As owner Gayathri Aprajit proudly shared, ghee is their single biggest ingredient expense - proof of their commitment to authentic flavour. Melt in your mouth Mysore Pak, different types of Kaju Katli and coconut stuffed Polis, everything made fresh in-house. 



Our final stop on this journey through Sydney’s Indian dessert scene was  Tanna Sweets, the brainchild of Sweta Bhavin Tanna, who has carried her family’s centuries-old sweet-making legacy from Gujarat to Australia. As we stepped into her serene home - welcomed by a radiant portrait of Lord Krishna and warm embraces from Sweta and her mother - we instantly felt the devotion behind her craft. 

 

In her warm living room, she shared how she blends time-honoured recipes with a modern touch to create more than 90 handmade, pure vegetarian desserts, all free from preservatives and crafted with the freshest ingredients. From traditional Mithai to nourishing Laddus for expectant & new mothers, everything she makes honours not just her family’s but also India’s culinary heritage and is infused with love, care, and prayer. 



With an abundant spread of Laddus, Kachoris, Halwas, and the freshest Srikhand I’ve tasted in Sydney - served generously by both Sweta and her mother. Her dedication to making everything fresh, by hand, and with complete devotion left me truly inspired. As I left her home high on sweets and love and contemplated on the day I realised that I had not missed ‘Gulab Jamun’ one bit because everywhere we looked there were so many desserts to choose from. 

 

So, the next time you want to indulge in something sweet, look beyond Gulab Jamuns and order something you have never tried before. I promise you will not be disappointed. Explore with West.


Article author: Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar 

Origins of Gulab Jamun - In The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin, culinary historian Michael Krondl

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