Jalebi
જલેબી: crisp, chewy coils of overnight-fermented batter fried in ghee and soaked in saffron syrup (plus 12 hours fermenting)
IndianOn Uttarayan morning in Ahmedabad and Surat, queues form outside every farsan shop for two things: undhiyu and hot jalebi, sold by the kilo for the terrace party. This is the plain fermented jalebi, not the mawa or instant kind: a batter of maida, a little gram flour and curd left overnight until it smells sour and bubbly, piped in tight double coils into ghee, fried until crisp and dropped into warm saffron syrup. Good ones crackle when bitten, then flood the mouth with syrup, with a gentle tang from the ferment. Eat them hot with undhiyu, with fafda on Dussehra, or with rabri. The common mistake is syrup that is too thick or too cold; it then sits on the surface and the jalebi stays dry inside. Keep the syrup warm and at just one string. Chef's tip: if the batter spreads in the ghee, it is too thin; whisk in a spoon of maida. If the coils break, it is too thick; add a spoon of water.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the batter
- 5 ½ oz plain flour (maida)
- 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- 3 tbsp sour plain yogurt (curd)
- ¾ cup lukewarm waterroughly
- 1 pinch pinch of turmeric or orange food colour (optional)
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- ½ tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For frying
- 2 cups ghee or oil for frying
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour (maida), 1 tbsp gram flour (besan) and 3 tbsp sour plain yogurt (curd) with ¾ cup lukewarm water to a thick, smooth batter that flows slowly off a spoon, like thick pancake batter. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12–14 hours.
5 minStep 2: The next day, the batter should be bubbly and smell pleasantly sour. Beat it well for 2 minutes, add 1 pinch pinch of turmeric or orange food colour if using, and pour into a squeeze bottle or a cloth with a small hole.
3 minStep 3: Dissolve 10 ½ oz sugar in ¾ cup water over a medium heat, add 1 pinch saffron strands and 1 tsp lemon juice and boil for 5–6 minutes to one-string consistency. Stir in ½ tsp ground green cardamom and keep the syrup warm on the lowest heat.
8 minStep 4: Heat 2 cups ghee or oil for frying in a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat to about 350°F: a drop of batter should rise steadily with lots of bubbles.
5 minStep 5: Squeeze the batter into the ghee in tight spirals about 7 cm across, starting from the centre and finishing with a cross to join the coils. Fry 4–5 at a time.
2 minStep 6: Fry for 2 minutes, turn and fry 1–2 minutes more until crisp and light golden.
20 minStep 7: Lift out, drain for a second and drop into the warm syrup for 30–40 seconds, turning once. Common mistake: leaving them in for minutes, which makes them soggy.
1 minStep 8: Lift onto a plate and serve hot, ideally with undhiyu or fafda.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jalebi take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sour plain yogurt (curd)?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
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