Jalebis (needs fermentation, so give it time)

By stancec44

Jalebi is a spiral shaped traditional Indian sweet made with flour basically mixed with little chickpea flour and yogurt (even though adding yogurt is not absolutely essential). The batter is fermented and then deep fried and dipped in sugar syrup. Like I said before, this recipe makes thin and crispy jalebis since that is what I love. For thicker jalebi, use a wider tip – Author just used a squeeze bottle with a small tip. (Might want to go to website and follow pictures on this one to get consistency right.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour, also known as maida
• 1 tablespoon chickpea flour, also known as besan
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 3 tablespoons yogurt
• orange food color, optional
• water, as needed - around 1/2 cup + 2-3 tablespoons
• oil or ghee, to fry jalebi
• sugar syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• few saffron strands
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cookwithmanali.com

Preparation

Step 1

Note: Consistency of the batter: It should be flowing consistency but not super thin or thick. If the batter is dispersing in the oil as you pipe it, maybe it’s too thin and you need to add some flour to it. If you are not able to pipe it, add little water but always remember to add 1/2-1 teaspoon at a time and then check and see if you have achieved the desired consistency.

2. Temperature of the oil: when you pipe the jalebi batter, make sure the oil is at low heat. Too high and batter will be all over in oil as you try to make the jalebi shape. So keep temperature low when you pipe the batter in hot oil. Increase the heat once piped and then fry till crisp.

Prep Time: 15 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 15 hours 25 minutes

In a large bowl mix together flour (maida), chickpea flour (besan), baking powder and baking soda.
Add yogurt, cardamom powder and mix. Add food color (if using) and water to form a flowing consistency batter.

The batter should not be too thick or thin. You may need up to 3/4 water depending on quality of maida and besan.

Cover the batter and let the batter sit for 10-12 hours to ferment. Mine took 24 hours because I live in a cold place. You see small bubbles on top of the batter once it has fermented.

In morning, whisk the batter a little. You may need to add little water [around 1 tablespoon] if batter looks too thick at this point.

Meanwhile add sugar to a pan. Add water and mix with sugar and let it all come to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, add cardamom powder, saffron strand and lemon juice.

Let it simmer till syrup becomes sticky and form a one string consistency. Basically place a drop of syrup in between your thumb and index finger and then when you move fingers away from each other, it should form a single thread.

If you can't get consistency, just make it sticky. Keep the syrup warm while you make the jalebis.
Transfer jalebi batter into a squeeze bottle. The one I used had a very small tip hence the thin jalebis.

Meanwhile heat oil or ghee in a pan or kadai. I used a combination of the two. Keep heat to medium-low.

Squeeze batter in hot oil, making spiral motion from inside to outside. Remember to keep at low heat else you won't be able to form the shape. If the batter is dispersing in the oil, maybe it's too thin and you need to add some flour to it. Once you have made the spiral shape with the batter, increase the heat to medium-high.

Fry till crisp from both sides. Remove from oil and immediately dip in warm sugar syrup, few seconds on each side is good enough.

Remove jalebis from the sugar syrup and transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy homemade jalebi with milk or rabri. You may garnish with some nuts on top!