Bright orange, glistening with ghee, a perfectly crispy Jalebi lands on your plate. You have waited for far too long watching the Halwai fry it and then dip it in the sweet syrup, so you cannot spare a second more waiting for it cool down, hence you go all in. You use your two fingers to break the loopy dessert, and the perfect crunch tells you that the wait was worth it. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that in India, there are as many Jalebi lovers as there are jalebiwallahs. A dessert that is as famous for its shape, as for its flavour, is actually not Indian, it happens to have Persian roots. The modern-day jalebi is actually a version of Zolabia or Zalabia, a dessert that would be served in special feasts, like Iftar or Eid. In India, the coils got thinner and crispier, and somewhere down the line, it also became one of the most beloved street foods of Haridwar and Varanasi, two of the most pivotal Hindu pilgrimage sites. Transcending boundaries, one loop at a time.
Best paired with Rabri (personal bias), Jalebi may look like a tough cookie to crack, given all the loops and twists and curls and curves it demands; but once you get the shape right, all there’s left to do is frying them till they are crisp and soaking them in sugar syrup. And if you are still iffy about making Jalebis at home, we have just the right tips and tricks to make it at home.
- To make the perfect batter, add flour, followed by a tinge of cornflour (for extra crispness), baking soda, food colouring (optional), and mix the dry ingredients together.
- After this, add a bit of yogurt and water. Yogurt acts as a protein and helps play a good binding agent. It is always a good idea to add water gradually, you do not want a very watery batter. The batter should be lump-free and of pouring consistency.
- Cover the batter with a thin cloth or plastic film and let it rest for at least 15 minutes, it is crucial for the batter, else it won’t puff up when frying.
- Meanwhile, start working on the sugar syrup, to three cups of sugar, the ideal amount of water that should be added is around 1 or 1 and a half cups. Add cardamom, some lemon juice and boil the syrup until the sugar is completely dissolved. After it is boiled and is bubbling, simmer for 10-15 seconds, turn off the heat.
- Add the batter to a squeezy sauce bottle, that’s right, not many have the skill to work with a piping bag, so these ketchup bottles with thin nozzles are ideal to dole out perfect jalebis, with even-shaped loops.
- Heat ghee in a pan, and start making jalebis. The temperature should be medium-hot. Start from centre and then make loops outwards. After you have made 4-5 loops, close the loop by bringing the trail back to centre.
- Fry until they are puffed and crispy. Take them out on a plate and transfer to the sugar syrup, one by one.
This is one easy way to make jalebis at home, if you want to make it with the traditional piping bag method, you can follow this detailed recipe.
