Jalebi recipe

Jalebi is a spiral shaped crisp & juicy sweet snack popular across India. This recipe will give you the best jalebis that you can make during any festive occasions under 30 mins.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Servings8 people

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

For jalebi

1 cup all-purpose flour (organic maida) 125 grams
2 tablespoons corn starch/ white corn flour (or besan if fermenting batter) (16 grams)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric or use natural food color
½ cup curd (plain yogurt) (or water if fermenting batter) (120 ml)
½ cup water (more if needed) (120 ml)
½ teaspoon baking soda (or 1 large pinch for fermented batter)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
oil or ghee as needed

For sugar syrup

1 cup sugar (use organic) (200 grams)
½ to ¾ cup water (I used ½ + 2 tbsps) (120 ml to 180 ml)
1 pinch saffron or kesar optional
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or elaichi powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Equipment needed

1 sauce bottle or Zip lock bag or cloth bag

How to make the recipe

Making sugar syrup

Add sugar and water to a pot.
Boil on a medium heat until it reaches a 1 string consistency.
Take a small portion of the syrup in a spoon. Cool it slightly.
Take it in between your thumb and fore finger.
Gently move the fingers away from each other, you must see a single string.
Pour lemon juice, cardamom powder and saffron. Remove from heat. Stir and set aside.
If your syrup goes beyond this stage, then sprinkle some water and mix. Recheck for the 1 string consistency.

Make batter for jalebi - follow A or B

A. Method 1: For Instant jalebi : Add maida, cornflour and turmeric to a mixing bowl. Mix everything well until uniform. Next add curd. Pour water & make a thick lump free batter. The batter has to be thick but of flowing consistency. If needed add more water. Beat the batter well with a whisk in one direction in a circular motion for 4 mins. The batter will turn smooth.

OR

B. Method 2: For fermentation : Mix together maida, besan & turmeric in a bowl. Pour water & make a thick batter of pouring consistency. Cover and ferment for 12 to 24 hours until the batter gets a very mild sour flavor. The batter will not rise, but will have tiny bubbles on top.

How to make jalebi

Heat ghee or oil on a medium heat to fry jalebis.
If using oil, then add 1 to 2 tbsp ghee to the oil. This enhances the flavor.
Pour 1 tsp lemon juice to the batter & mix. Skip the lemon juice if you have fermented the batter.
Add soda and mix gently just until combined.
Check batter consistency: The prepared batter must be smooth free flowing and thick. Spoon just 2 to 3 tbsp of batter to the sauce bottle to check if the consistency is right.
Next check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the batter. It has to come up immediately without browning.
Now squeeze the bottle gently and move in circular motion to get spiral. If you are getting very thick jalebi, then the batter is thick. Next if you are getting very thin flat jalebis the batter is thin.
To fix thick batter, add a tbsp or more water. Next to fix thin batter, add a tbsp of maida (all purpose flour). Take a look at the pic in the FAQ section to fix the batter.
Mix the batter well. Spoon it to the bottle.

Frying jalebi

Ensure oil is hot and the flame set to medium high heat.
Squeeze in the batter gently in circular motions starting from the center moving outside.
You can also do it the other way. You will get properly shaped ones after making a few.
While the jalebi is getting fried, check the syrup. It must be slightly hot to warm when the jalebi is dipped into it. If not heat up a bit.
The last 1 minute, turn the flame to low and fry the jalebi. This helps to make them extra crisp.
When the jalebi is done it turns crisp. Remove it with a skewer and add to the warm sugar syrup directly.
Allow to rest for 2 mins. Remove to a plate. Continue to make more jalebis.
Serve jalebi hot.

NUTRITION (estimation only)