Jalebi

Crispy, curly, sugary delight

Prep Time 45 min
Cook Time 10 min
Serving Size 4
Recipe Type Hob

Jalebi is the king of Indian sweets, with its vibrant swirls and crystalline glaze. Interestingly, its history is as rich and complex as its flavour, originating from ancient Persia, where it was known as “zulbiya”. Jalebi made its way to the Indian subcontinent with the advent of Persian traders and invaders, gradually becoming an inseparable part of Indian culinary heritage. The fermented batter is made of all-purpose flour and besan, and the spiral-shaped sweet is fried to golden perfection and finally soaked in a fragrant saffron-infused sugar syrup. A crispy exterior gives way to a succulently sweet interior and has captured the hearts of sweet lovers across generations.

Ingredients

For making Jalebi Batter:
125 gms All-purpose Flour
2 tbsp Gram Flour (Besan)
⅛ tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1 cup Water
All-purpose Flour (1-2 tbsp) to be added later after the batter has fermented
For Sugar Syrup:
150 gms Sugar
½ cup Water
¼ tsp Saffron Strands
Oil for deep frying, as required – you can also use ghee instead

Method

Making Batter:
In a mixing bowl, sift in refined flour, gram flour, a pinch of baking soda and turmeric powder.
Mix well with a spoon. Then add water and make lump-free batter.
Whisk well to add volume to the batter. The batter should have a flowing consistency. Cover and keep the batter to ferment in a warm place for 12 hours.
After fermentation, the batter will have tiny air pockets in it with a tangy taste. The batter will also become thinner compared to before. To thicken the batter again, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Mix well.
Now, pour this batter into the squeeze bottle or piping bag.
For Sugar Syrup:
Add sugar to a pan. Add saffron strands to it. Add ½ cup of water.
Place the pan on the burner and dissolve the sugar on low flame. Keep stirring throughout till the sugar melts.
Once the sugar is one-string consistency, switch off the heat and add ¼ tsp lime or lemon juice. Stir well.
Keep the sugar syrup on the burner so that it remains warm when you add the jalebi to it.
Frying Jalebi:
Heat oil in a deep bottom pan for deep frying. To check the temperature, add a tiny amount of batter to the oil. If it comes up quickly and gradually, the oil is hot enough for the jalebi to be fried.
Now squeeze the bottle and make rings similar to a chakli. Fry till the oil stops sizzling, and the jalebis are a light golden. Remove with tongs or a bamboo skewer.
Adding Fried Jalebi to Sugar Syrup:
Make sure the sugar syrup is warm.
Add and keep them in the syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve jalebi hot, warm or at room temperature.

Find out more about the history and tradition of the dish

In India, ragi has been found in archaeological excavations dating back to 1800 BC, and has been associated with honouring poets with a concoction of ragi, milk, and honey.

Read

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