Mix the water and sugar in a sauce pan

Bring to boil and simmer until you have a thick syrup . This shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. I usually don't check for the one string consistency, etc. Add the cardamom powder (if using) and mix well

Once the sugar syrup is ready, start on the jamuns

Remove the crust from the bread slices

Chop up into small pieces and transfer to a bowl

Add 2 tablespoons of milk and use your fingertips to gently start mushing up the bread slices

Don't press or knead too hard, the bread will become hard on frying

Add more as needed by the spoonful and keep mixing until you get a dough that can be shaped. Be careful not to add too much milk, it can make the mixture very sticky and hard to shape

Once done, shape into small balls. You can grease your hands with ghee or oil when shaping if that helps

Set aside on a plate and make balls with the entire mixture

Heat oil until almost smoking and gently drop the bread balls into the hot oil

On medium heat, fry until golden brown. You can fry these until they are a very dark brown, I feel like I didn't fry long enough since the jamuns turned a lighter colour after soaking in the syrup

Make sure you keep the flame medium when frying, otherwise the inside won't get cooked properly

Once the bread balls are a dark golden brown, drain add to the warm sugar syrup

Proceed with the remaining jamuns until all are done

Let the jamuns soak in the sugar syrup for a few hours until softened

Serve warm or chilled