Photo: Subhransuphotography · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Snack

Jalebi

Traditional 21. Jalebi recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 cup urad dal flour (uzhunnu parippu, 160g)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (10g)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp yogurt (15g)
• 1 tbsp oil (15ml)
• Water as needed (~½ cup/120ml)
• ⅛ tsp orange or red food coloring (optional)
• 2 cups sugar (400g)
• 1 cup water (240ml)
• ½ tsp saffron strands (soaked in 2 tbsp warm water)
• 3-4 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2-3 rose petals or ½ tsp rose essence
• Oil for frying (2.5 cups/600ml)

👩‍🍳 How to make Jalebi

1. Make sugar syrup (10 mins, high heat): Combine 400g sugar and 240ml water in heavy-bottom pan. Heat over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Once boiling, add saffron, cardamom, rose petals. Simmer 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Keep warm on very low heat—syrup should be thin, not thick.
2. Make batter (10 mins, room temperature): Mix 160g urad dal flour, 60g all-purpose flour, 10g cornstarch, ¼ tsp baking soda in bowl. Add 15g yogurt and 15ml oil. Add 120ml water gradually, whisking until batter is smooth, lump-free, like thin paste—should flow easily through piping bag.
3. Heat oil (5 mins, high heat): Heat 2.5 cups oil to 340°F/170°C. Oil must be very hot—too cool and jalebis will be soggy and greasy.
4. Pipe into oil (10 mins, medium-high heat): Transfer batter to piping bag (small round nozzle). Carefully pipe concentric circles (3-4 inch/7.5-10cm diameter) directly into hot oil. Make 2-3 jalebis at a time—do not overcrowd.
5. Fry (5 mins): Fry 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Use fork to flip carefully. Jalebi should be light golden, crispy.
6. Transfer to syrup (5 mins, room temperature): Using slotted spoon, immediately transfer hot jalebi into warm sugar syrup. Soak 5-8 minutes until fully soaked and syrup is absorbed. Jalebi will swell and become translucent-orange.
7. Remove and cool (10 mins, room temperature): Transfer jalebi to plate to cool. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

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