India Jalebi (Fried Sweet)
This centuries-old fried sweet is a roadside favorite throughout much of South Asia. Jalebi consists of wheat-flour batter that is shaped into circles, deep fried, and soaked in a sugar syrup. Lime juice or rosewater are sometimes added to the syrup. Jalebi is served either warm or cold.
Recipe Servings: 7
Prep Time
30 minutes
+ 8 hours resting
+ 8 hours resting
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
9 hours
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) gram flour
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) baking powder
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 4 cups (800 g) sugar
- 3 cups (700 ml) water
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- Red and yellow food coloring
- 1 tsp (5 ml) rosewater
- 3 cups (700 ml) vegetable oil
Directions
- Mix batter ingredients until smooth. Let batter sit uncovered overnight.
- Mix sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a frying pan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Increase heat to high and boil for 5 minutes.
- Let syrup cool. Then stir in rosewater and red and yellow food colorings to obtain a light orange hue. Set aside
- Put vegetable oil in a wok or kadai and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Put batter in a pastry bag with a small opening (¼ inch/1.25 cm) and squeeze batter into hot oil in an irregular spiral or swirling pattern 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide.
- Fry each jalebi until crispy.
- Remove and drain on paper towels. Then add jalebi to the pan with the sugar syrup and allow to soak in syrup for 1 minute. Serve immediately.
Making the Batter:
Making the Syrup:
Cooking and Assembly:
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