Jalebi
Jalebi are fried coils of batter that are soaked in syrup. They're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making them a delicious dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Add saffron if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the a syrup is formed, 4-5 minutes. Add cardamom, if using. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, yoghurt, 2 tsp lemon juice and ghee or butter. Mix until well blended. Add baking powder and mix again.
Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep fryer or heavy skillet to reach a depth of at least 2 inches
Making doughnut swirls is easy – just pour your batter into a squeeze bottle or piping bag with a small opening, and pipe the batter directly into hot oil. Be sure to do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan.
Fry in hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Serve warm with dipped in the syrup.
Notes
The batter should have a consistency similar to pancake batter.
If using a frying pan, the oil should rise about 2 inches (5 cm) up the side. It should reach a temperature of 375º F(190º C) so that the jalebi are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
The syrup must be cold so that the jalebi do not soften when added.
Instead of pouring the syrup on top before serving, the jalebi can be picked up with tongs and dipped into the syrup before being placed in the serving dish.
Variations
You can color the dough by adding a little turmeric.
There are those who make the dough with egg and milk and let it rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Source
Traditionally, the jalebi dough is a fermented dough, which gives them a unique flavor. This recipe is for an instant dough, it gives the yogurt an acid note.
Jalebi is a sweet that is frequently prepared during the festival of lights, Diwali.
Food in Asia