Make Jalebi

Jalebi is a sweet that is made throughout India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. It is a traditional dish that is an important part of many festivals and celebrations. Jalebi consists of a fried batter, similar to a funnel cake, that is then soaked in a sugar syrup. This article will walk you through the process of making jalebi at home. It offers two different options for making the batter: the first is a traditional recipe that uses yogurt as a leavener and must sit overnight, the second uses active dry yeast so you can make a batch of jalebi in about an hour. With a bit of practice, you will be making beautiful jalebi in no time!

Ingredients

Traditional Jalebi Batter

• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp (16g) Bengali gram, corn, or rice flour
• {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} plain yogurt, {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp (4g) baking soda
• 2 tbsp (30g) melted ghee or clarified butter
• 3-4 threads saffron, or 4-5 drops yellow food coloring
• Water, as needed

Quick Jalebi Batter

• 1.5 tsp (4g) active dry yeast
• {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} plus {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} water
• 1.5 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (16g) Bengali gram, corn, or rice flour
• 2 tbsp (30g) melted ghee, or clarified butter
• 3-4 threads saffron, or 4-5 drops yellow food coloring

Single Thread Saffron Syrup

• {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} water
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 3-4 threads saffron, or 4-5 drops of yellow food coloring

Steps

Making the Batter - Traditional Method

1. Gather your ingredients. This batter is gets its airiness primarily from natural fermentation. The traditional leavening agent is plain yogurt, called "dahi" or "curd" in Indian recipes. You may substitute plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk for this ingredient, as long as it has live active cultures.
   • 1 cup all-purpose flour
   • 2 tablespoons gram, corn, or rice flour (This adds a bit of flavor and texture; you can just use more all-purpose flour if that's all you have on hand.)
   • 3/4 cup plain yogurt, or 1/2 cup buttermilk
   • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
   • 2 tablespoons melted ghee, or clarified butter (you may substitute vegetable or olive oil)
   • 1/4 tsp saffron for color (you may substitute a pinch of turmeric, or a few drops of yellow food coloring)
   • Water, as needed
2. Mix up the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium, non-reactive (preferably glass or ceramic) bowl. Then add the yogurt or buttermilk and melted ghee, and stir well to form a thick batter. Finally, add the saffron or food coloring to achieve a golden yellow color.
3. Adjust the thickness of the batter. Your batter should resemble a thick pancake batter. Depending on the humidity and the moisture content of the yogurt or buttermilk you are using, you may need to add water to obtain this consistency.
   • If the batter is too thick, add water a bit at a time and stir well between additions.
   • If the batter is too thin, stir in additional flour one tablespoon at a time.
4. Leave the batter to ferment. Cover the bowl and leave the batter to ferment in a warm place for 12 hours or overnight. (In warm climates, just a few hours will suffice). The batter will rise and become noticeably fluffier than it was the night before. It is now ready to use.

Making the Batter - Quick Method

1. Gather your ingredients. This method uses active dry yeast, available in the baking section of most grocery, and comes together in a matter of minutes.
   • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
   • 1 tablespoon plus 2/3 cup water
   • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   • 2 tablespoons gram, corn, or rice flour (This adds a bit of flavor and texture; you can just use more all-purpose flour if that's all you have on hand.)
   • 2 tablespoons ghee, or clarified butter (you may substitute vegetable or olive oil)
   • 1/4 tsp saffron threads for color (You may substitute a pinch of turmeric, or a few drops of yellow food coloring.)
2. Make the batter. First, dissolve the yeast in {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of lukewarm water, and let it sit for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours to combine. Then add the yeast, melted ghee (or butter or oil), saffron or food coloring, and 2/3 cup water. Stir until there are no more lumps and a thick batter is formed.
3. Adjust the batter, if needed. It should resemble a thick, yellow pancake batter. If it is too thick, it will not come out of the dispenser correctly, and if it is too thin, it will be difficult to shape.
   • If the batter is too thin, stir in additional flour one tablespoon at a time to achieve the desired consistency.
   • If the batter is too thick, add a small amount of additional water, and stir well, adding more if necessary.
4. Set the batter aside for 15 minutes. The yeast will work much more quickly to lighten the batter, and the batter can be used right away. However, your jalebi will be lighter if you let the yeast work for a while. Cover the batter and set it aside while you prepare the syrup for the jalebi, and heat the oil for frying.

Making the Syrup

1. Assemble your ingredients. This recipe is for a saffron simple syrup. If you do not have saffron available, use a few drops of yellow food coloring to achieve the proper color. It is also common to add other flavorings to this syrup, including lemon, lime, cardamom, and rose water. Try the basic version first, and then experiment with your own additions.
   • 1 cup water
   • 1 cup granulated sugar
   • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, or a few drops of yellow food coloring
2. Boil the syrup. Add sugar and water to a pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down until it is just barely bubbling. Cook the syrup until it reaches the single thread stage, or approximately 220°-222°F (104°-105°C). Watch the syrup carefully to make sure it doesn't burn. This should take around 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Test the consistency of the syrup. Sugar syrups used in Indian cooking are defined by their thread consistency. To test the syrup without a thermometer, dip a spoon or spatula into the syrup and lift it out. Wait a moment and carefully pick up a drop of syrup on your finger. Then touch your finger to your thumb and pull them apart slowly to see how many threads of syrup form. For this recipe, you want a single thread syrup.
   • If no thread forms, or it breaks quickly, your syrup is not yet cooked enough.
   • If multiple threads or a sheet forms, you have reduced the syrup too much, and need to add some additional water or begin again.
4. Remove the syrup from the heat. Do this as soon as it reaches the desired consistency. Then quickly stir in your saffron or food coloring. Keep the syrup near at hand, as you will soon be soaking your hot jalebi in it.

Cooking the Jalebi

1. Heat the oil. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, kadhai, or wok, with enough ghee or oil for deep-frying, between one and two inches. Heat the oil to between 360°-375° F (182°-190°C).
   • To test the oil temperature without a thermometer, place the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles start to form around the spoon and float to the top, your oil is ready to go.
2. Load the batter into a dispenser while the oil is heating. Give the batter a quick stir with a spatula, but do not over-mix. Then pour the batter into a clean squeeze bottle or condiment dispenser.
   • Plastic squeeze bottles can be purchased at many grocery stores, as can specialized batter dispensers. You can also recycle an empty ketchup bottle, just be sure to wash it thoroughly before use.
   • If you do not have a squeeze bottle available, you can pour the batter into a food-grade plastic bag, and cut a small hole in one corner of it when you are ready to dispense the batter.
3. Pour some of the batter into the oil. Using your dispenser, squeeze or pour the batter into the hot oil in coils or spirals that are about 2" wide. Only make 3-4 jalebi at a time to avoid crowding the pan.
   • Forming the jalebi is the tricky part, and does take a bit of practice, but once you get the motion down it will be as easy as, well, jalebi!
4. Fry the jalebi until they are crisp and golden brown. The batter will first sink to the bottom, but will quickly pop back up and float to the top. After a minute or two, flip the jalebi over so they cook on both sides. Then remove them from the oil and drain for a moment on paper towels.
5. Soak the jalebi in the syrup. Place the jalebi into the syrup while they are still hot, and let them soak for at least a minute, some people prefer up to 4-5 minutes. Turn the jalebi over once so both sides have a chance to soak. The jalebi should become thoroughly saturated with sugar syrup.
   • Start your next batch of jalebi cooking while the first is soaking the syrup.
6. Remove the jalebi from the syrup and serve. If you wish to serve the jalebi warm, place the jalebi on a platter, or in bowls with a bit of syrup. Otherwise, remove them from the syrup and let then dry on a rack for several hours until the syrup forms a crust.

Tips

• Don't worry if your jalebi don't look right at first. Forming the circles takes practice. But even if they aren't shaped quite right, they will still taste delicious!

Warnings

• Be careful not to burn yourself when working with hot oil!

Related Articles

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Sources and Citations

• Videos provided by Ruchkar Mejwani

See also

• Make Kulfi (Indian Milk Ice Cream)
• Make Kaju Katli
• Cook Pongal
• Make Coconut Laddu
• Make Besan Ladoo
• Make Kheer
• Make Carrot Halwa
• Make Rasgullas
• Make Indian Falooda
• Make 7 Cup Burfi

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