A popular Indian sweet introduced by the Mugals more than 500 years ago…
It’s a very common thing to see Jalebis piled up on a tray at any Indian sweet stores. There wouldn’t be a single sweet store without jalebis, it has been one of the best selling sweets. The perfectly coil shaped jalebis and the sugary coating over it which gives them the waxy look and of course the taste of it makes anyone to just stop by and to buy a few to snack as they go. After a bite of it, you could see people standing still indulged in this sweet with their eyes closed and there comes the Mmmm, mmmm sound.
When I was in my hometown, I once had a chance to watch how Jalebis were made at a sweet store, it was in deed fascinating to me. That time I felt it was very difficult to make it at home and yes getting it from the store whenever I get the craving was the most easiest thing to do. However, a few weeks ago, I some how had the thought of making jalebi in my kitchen. If I get the thought that’s it, I have to follow it. While searching for the recipe online, as usual I bumped into many websites and blogs explaining how to make the perfect jalebis. Most of the recipes called for many hours of fermenting the batter and they were not that easy recipes. My quest for an easy recipe to make jalebi ended when I saw the video of jalebi making by the pretty ladies on “Show me the Curry”. After watching the video, I was like “that’s it! I can definitely make these” and in just about 45 minutes, I was seen indulged in these popular sweet of India.
Make sure to follow the steps as it is. Just like me, if you are also trying this for the first time, you might also find it hard to make the perfect coiled shape for the first few tries, but trust me after a while you’ll find it easier and you will be there having fun making the perfect jalebis. Now, if you have nailed it even at the first try, then “Bravo, I bow down to you”.
When it comes to making cakes and sweets, I don’t dare to tweak any trustworthy recipes, I would rather follow it blindly.
Anyone who has tasted this sweet would agree with me that there is nothing more tastier and sweeter than hot jalebis on a rainy day on any day!
Jalebi
Ingredients:
- All purpose flour- 1 cup
- Yeast, rapid rise- 1 tsp
- Cardamom powder- 1/8 tsp
- Corn flour or corn starch- 2 tsp
- Oil- 1 tsp
- Yogurt- 1 tbsp
- Warm water- 3/4 cup
For making sugar syrup:
- Sugar- 1 1/4 cups
- Water- 1 cup
- Saffron- 2 pinches
- Lemon juice- 1 tsp
- Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
For Frying:
- Oil- enough for frying ( use 2 tbsp ghee to the oil for nice flavor, this is optional)
Instruction
- In a bowl: combine all purpose flour, cardamom powder, yeast and corn flour using a fork.
- Add oil, yogurt and warm water to the dry mixture and combine well without any lumps using a whisk.
- Fill a large bowl or pot half way through with hot water, place the bowl with the batter on the hot water.
- Make sure the water is not entering into the batter.
- Cover the batter bowl with a lid and place the bowls inside the microwave oven or regular oven or in a warm place to speed up the fermentation, for about 30 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, you could start preparing the sugar syrup.
- In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water together, let it come to a boil and let the sugar completely dissolve in the water.
- Add saffron, lemon juice and cardamom powder to the syrup (I added smashed whole cardamoms), combine well.
- Lemon juice will prevent the sugar syrup from crystallization.
- Lower the heat to minimun and let the syrup simmer.
- After 30 minutes, take the batter out of the oven and combine it well using a spatula.
- In a frying pan, heat enough oil for frying.
- Pour the batter into a squeezable bottle like ketchup bottle or go ahead and use ziplock bag or pipping bag, make a small cut on one end of the bags.
- When the oil has turned hot, squeeze the batter from the bottle or bag in a circular motion into the hot oil.
- You could fry 3 to 4 jalebis at a time.
- Be very careful while squeezing the batter into the hot oil, you don’t want to spoil the fun by burning yourself.
- At first the batter might break apart when you squeeze it into the oil, that’s just fine.
My first attempt, a huge flop!
Second, a little better, may be not! Distorted jalebis 😛
Third try, the opening on the ziplock bag that I made was little big and hence the huge sized coils, so had to use a different bag with small opening on it.
After a few trials, ain’t this much better? Now, don’t disappoint me by saying nope 🙂
- As the batter sits for some more time, it will get more fermented and starts to fall evenly into the oil.
- Flip over the jalebis till it turns golden in color.
- When it has turned golden, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, drain the oil and immediately put it into the sugar syrup.
- Using a tong, coat both the sides of the jalebi with sugar syrup.
- Take it out and place it on a platter.
- Repeat this with the rest of the batter.
- Half way through the whole process you could stop simmering the sugar syrup.
- Jalebis taste better when they are hot, it will be crispy and of course it will melt into your mouth.
Tips:
- If you want you could add yellow or orange color mixed with little water and combine it with the batter.
- Any leftover can be stored in an air tight container or ziploc bag, if you want you could refrigerate them.
- All purpose flour- 1 cup
- Yeast, rapid rise- 1 tsp
- Cardamom powder- ⅛ tsp
- Corn flour or corn starch- 2 tsp
- Oil- 1 tsp
- Yogurt- 1 tbsp
- Warm water- ¾ cup
- Sugar- 1¼ cups
- Water- 1 cup
- Saffron- 2 pinches
- Lemon juice- 1 tsp
- Cardamom powder- ¼ tsp
- Oil- enough for frying ( use 2 tbsp ghee to the oil for nice flavor, this is optional)
- In a bowl: combine all purpose flour, cardamom powder, yeast and corn flour using a fork.
- Add oil, yogurt and warm water to the dry mixture and combine well without any lumps using a whisk.
- Fill a large bowl or pot half way through with hot water, place the bowl with the batter on the hot water.
- Make sure the water is not entering into the batter.
- Cover the batter bowl with a lid and place the bowls inside the microwave oven or regular oven or in a warm place to speed up the fermentation, for about 30 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, you could start preparing the sugar syrup.
- In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water together, let it come to a boil and let the sugar completely dissolve in the water.
- Add saffron, lemon juice and cardamom powder to the syrup (I added smashed whole cardamoms), combine well.
- Lemon juice will prevent the sugar syrup from crystallization.
- Lower the heat to minimun and let the syrup simmer.
- After 30 minutes, take the batter out of the oven and combine it well using a spatula.
- In a frying pan, heat enough oil for frying.
- Pour the batter into a squeezable bottle like ketchup bottle or go ahead and use ziplock bag or pipping bag, make a small cut on one end of the bags.
- When the oil has turned hot, squeeze the batter from the bottle or bag in a circular motion into the hot oil.
- You could fry 3 to 4 jalebis at a time.
- Be very careful while squeezing the batter into the hot oil, you don't want to spoil the fun by burning yourself.
- At first the batter might break apart when you squeeze it into the oil, that's just fine.
- My first attempt, a huge flop!
- Second, a little better, may be not! Distorted jalebis 😛
- Third try, the opening on the ziplock bag that I made was little big and hence the huge sized coils, so had to use a different bag with small opening on it.
- After a few trials, ain't this much better? Now, don't disappoint me by saying nope 🙂
- As the batter sits for some more time, it will get more fermented and starts to fall evenly into the oil.
- Flip over the jalebis till it turns golden in color.
- When it has turned golden, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, drain the oil and immediately put it into the sugar syrup.
- Using a tong, coat both the sides of the jalebi with sugar syrup.
- Take it out and place it on a platter.
- Repeat this with the rest of the batter.
- Half way through the whole process you could stop simmering the sugar syrup.
- Jalebis taste better when they are hot, it will be crispy and of course it will melt into your mouth.
•Any leftover can be stored in an air tight container or ziploc bag, if you want you could refrigerate them.
