Jalebi is one of the most popular sweet of India. It is equally popular sweet in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. There are two ways to prepare it. Traditional method and Instant method. Here I am sharing traditional method. Try this easy traditional step by step recipe for homemade jalebi.
Ingredients for Homemade jalebi
Ingredients for Syrup
- Sugar 3 cups
- Water – 2 cups
- Saffron strands – 1/2 tablespoon
- Lemon Juice – 1/2 teaspoon
Ingredient for Jalebi
- Refined Flour – 2 cups
- Yeast – 1 teaspoon
- Gram flour/Besan – 3 teaspoons
- Water – 1 cup
- Clarified Butter/Ghee for frying
Instructions for Homemade jalebi
For Syrup
Prepare the sugar syrup by mixing sugar with water in a wide and deep pan on medium heat. Stirring continuously, till the sugar dissolves.
Add lemon juice (it prevents the sugar from crystalizing). When the sugar melts, add saffron and keep stirring till you have single string consistency (When you touch the sugar syrup between your thumb and index finger, you should see a distinct string) . Keep the syrup warm.
For Jalebi
In a bowl add refined flour, gram flour, yeast and water. Mix well and it should be without lumps and drop from the whisk easily. Cover and keep in a warm place to ferment for 15 hours or overnight. If you live in a cold climate, you can keep for 24 hours.
Once the batter ferments, mix it once again. Now heat a wide and flat pan with ghee.
Now pour the batter an icing bag. Cut the tip of the icing bag to 2mm thick. You can also use sauce bottle or zip lock bag.
Once the oil is hot, put the flame on medium low and hold the icing bag and rotate your hand in circular motion for 3 times from center to outwards to make spirals.
When one side is partly cooked, turn over and fry the other side. Fry till the jalebis is a light golden brown from both the sides. Remove the jalebi and transfer immediately into the warm sugar syrup.
Repeat the process until all the jalebis are made.
Keep it in syrup for 2 minutes (over soaking can make them soggy).
Remove from the syrup and serve jalebis hot or warm with chilled rabri.
Note
The most important part of making Jalebi at home is to have the right consistency of batter. It should not too be thin or thick like dosa batter.
While frying the Jalebi, make sure the oil is at medium low heat.
Always keep the sugar syrup warm. Not too hot nor cold.
Over soaking can make them soggy.
Homemade Jalebi/Khameer Jalebi
Ingredients
Ingredients for Sugar syrup
- 3 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Water
- ½ tbsp Saffron
- ½ tsp Lemon Juice
Ingredients for Jalebi
- 2 cups Refined Flour
- 1 tsp Yeast
- 3 tsp Besan (Gram Flour)
- 1 cup Water
- Ghee (clarified butter) for deep frying
Instructions
Instructions for making Sugar syrup
- Prepare the sugar syrup by mixing sugar with water in a wide and deep pan on medium heat. Stir continuously, till the sugar dissolves.
- Add lemon juice (it prevents the sugar from crystalizing).
- When the sugar melts, add saffron and keep stirring till you get one string consistency ((When you touch the sugar syrup between your thumb and index finger, you should see a distinct string)
- Keep the syrup warm.
Instructions for making Jalebi
- Fermentation : In a bowl add refined flour, gram flour, yeast and water. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps, and until mixture doesn't stick to the whisk, it should drop easily.
- Cover and keep in a warm place to ferment for 15 hours or overnight. If you live in a cold climate, you can ferment it for 24 hours.
- Oncethe batter ferments, mix it once again.
- Now heat a wide and flat pan with ghee for deep frying.
- Take an Icing Bag and pour batter in it. Make a 2mm think cut on the tip of the icing bag ( if you don't have Icing Bag, You can also use zip lock bag)
- turn the flame to medium low Once the oil is hot. Now you will make the Jalebis.
- hold the icing bag above the oil, so that the batter starts dropping from it. make batter spirals in oil by rotating your hands in circular motion 3 times from center to outwards. (Be very careful in this step, as the oil may sputter)
- Fry the Jalebi in oil, and turn over when one side is partially cooked to a light golden color. Turn it over. check that both sides of the Jalebi are consistently golden/golden brown on both sides
- Remove the jalebi and transfer immediately into the warm sugar syrup. Let it soak in the sugar syrup and absorb it. this usually takes upto 2 minutes.
- Repeat the process until all the jalebis are made.
- Do not leave the jalebi for too long in syrup, it will become soggy.
- Remove from the syrup and serve jalebis hot or warm.
Notes
While frying the Jalebi, make sure the oil is at medium low heat.
Always keep the sugar syrup warm. Not too hot nor cold.
Over soaking can make them soggy.