Jalebi is a very popular dessert throughout India, Pakistan and the Middle East. It is a traditional dish that plays a fundamental role during holidays and sacred celebrations. Jalebi are made with a batter, more or less like a strauben, which is fried and dipped in a sugary syrup. This article describes step by step the process of cooking a jalebi at home by offering you two methods: the first, traditional, uses yogurt as a leavening agent and requires a night's rest; the second uses active dry yeast and allows you to cook jalebi in about an hour. With a little practice, you will be able to prepare a fantastic jalebi in no time!
Ingrediants
Traditional recipe
- 140 g of maida flour.
- 16 g of chickpea, corn or rice flour.
- 180 ml of plain yogurt, 120 ml of buttermilk.
- 4 g of baking soda.
- 30 g of melted ghee (clarified butter).
- 3-4 saffron pistils or 4-5 drops of yellow food coloring.
- Water as required.
Quick Recipe
- 4 g of active dry yeast.
- 15 ml of water plus another 160 ml.
- 210 g of flour 0.
- 16 g of chickpea, corn or rice flour.
- 30 g of melted ghee (clarified butter).
- 3-4 saffron pistils or 4-5 drops of yellow food coloring.
Saffron Syrup
- 240 ml of water.
- 200 g of granulated sugar.
- 3-4 saffron pistils or 4-5 drops of yellow food coloring.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Traditional Recipe: Making the Batter
Step 1. Gather all the ingredients
Natural fermentation is the primary source of the air present in the compound. In this case, the leavening agent is natural yogurt called "dahi" or "curd" in the original Indian recipes. You can replace it with natural Greek yogurt or buttermilk, the important thing is that live lactic ferments are present.
- 140 g of maida flour.
- 16 g of chickpea, corn or rice flour (to provide flavor and texture to the batter; you can optionally replace it with more maida flour, if you have nothing else available).
- 180ml plain yogurt or 120ml buttermilk.
- 4 g of baking soda.
- 30 g of melted ghee (clarified butter) which you can substitute with olive or seed oil.
- A pinch of saffron to add color (you can replace it with turmeric or a few drops of food coloring).
- Water as required.
Step 2. Prepare the batter
With a whisk, mix the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl of non-reactive material (such as glass or ceramic). Then add the yogurt or buttermilk and finally the melted ghee. Mix carefully to form a homogeneous mixture. Finally, mix in the saffron or food coloring for a bright yellow batter.
Step 3. Adjust the consistency
The batter should be similar to that of pancakes, just a little thicker. Depending on the humidity of the yogurt or buttermilk, a small addition of water may be required to obtain the desired result.
- If it seems too thick, add water, a little at a time, and mix well between each addition.
- If you have the impression that it is too liquid, then add a little flour, a spoonful at a time.
Step 4. Wait for the batter to ferment
Cover the container and leave it in a warm place for the mixture to ferment for 12 hours or overnight. If you live in a warm region, only a few hours will be enough. The batter will rise and be noticeably swollen than the night before. At this point you can cook it.
Part 2 of 4: Quick Recipe: Prepare the Batter
Step 1. Prepare all the ingredients
This method involves the use of active dry yeast that you can buy in all supermarkets in the department dedicated to sweets and baked goods. It only takes a few minutes to activate it.
- 4 g of active dry yeast.
- 15 ml of water plus another 160 ml.
- 210 g of flour 0.
- 16 g of chickpea, corn or rice flour (to provide flavor and texture to the batter; you can optionally replace it with more maida flour, if you have nothing else available).
- 30 g of melted ghee (clarified butter) which you can substitute with olive or seed oil.
- A pinch of saffron to add color (you can replace it with turmeric or a few drops of food coloring).
Step 2. Prepare the batter
First, dissolve the yeast in 15ml of warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours and mix with a whisk. Pour in the yeast, melted ghee (or olive oil), saffron or food coloring and 160 ml of water. Continue to work the mixture until there are no more lumps and the batter has taken on consistency.
Step 3. Adjust the density if necessary
It should be similar to yellow pancake mix, only slightly thicker. If it is too thick, the batter does not come out of the dispenser in the right way; if it is too liquid, you cannot shape it.
- If the batter is too watery, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you want.
- If it is too full-bodied, then you should dilute it with small amounts of water, stirring carefully each time.
Step 4. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes
Dry yeast is much faster, compared to yogurt, at puffing up the batter which can be cooked almost immediately. However, the jalebi will be much lighter if you allow the yeast to "do its job". Cover the container and leave it aside while you prepare the syrup and heat the oil for frying.
Part 3 of 4: Making the Syrup
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients
This recipe allows you to prepare a simple saffron syrup. If you don't have this spice, you can use a few drops of food coloring to give it the right shade. It is quite common to add other flavors such as lemon, lime, cardamom or rose water. First, start with the basic version and then you can experiment with new preparations.
- 240 ml of water.
- 200 g of granulated sugar.
- A pinch of saffron or a few drops of yellow food coloring.
Step 2. Bring the syrup to a boil
In a saucepan pour the sugar and water, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer the mixture. Cook the syrup until it reaches the Piccola_bolla_o_petit_boul stage. C3. A9 petit boulé at 104-105 ° C. Carefully check the cooking of the syrup to prevent it from burning. It should simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat.
Step 3. Check the consistency of the syrup
Sugar syrups, in Indian cuisine, are classified according to consistency. If you need to check your preparation without a pastry thermometer, dip a spoon or spatula into the syrup and then lift it up. Wait a moment and then lift a drop with your finger. Then touch the "caramelized" finger with your thumb and then slowly remove it, check how many sugar strands are formed. For this recipe, the syrup only needs to form one strand.
- If no thread forms or if it breaks quickly, then the syrup is still too raw.
- If multiple strands or some sort of thick film form, then the syrup is too thick and you will need to add more water or, better yet, start all over again.
Step 4. Remove the syrup from the heat
Do this immediately as soon as the consistency is what you want. Then quickly add the saffron or food coloring. Put the saucepan close at hand because you will dip the hot jalebi in it as soon as it is fried.
Part 4 of 4: Cooking the Jalebi
Step 1. Heat the oil
Fill a thick-bottomed skillet, such as a Dutch oven, wok, or kadhai with 3 to 5 cm of frying oil or ghee. Heat the oil up to 180-190 ° C.
To check the temperature of the oil without using a thermometer, put the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil itself. If bubbles form around the handle and float to the surface, the oil is ready
Step 2. Put the batter in a dispenser while the oil heats up
Quickly mix the dough with a spatula without overdoing it so as not to dismantle it. Then transfer it to a dispenser such as a piping bag, a spray bottle, or a sauce dispenser.
- You can buy plastic spray bottles at supermarkets and home improvement stores. There are also specific ones for batters. Alternatively, you can recycle an empty ketchup bottle by making sure it is well washed.
- If you don't have a spray bottle, pour the batter into a plastic food bag, cut a corner as soon as you are ready to pour the batter into the boiling oil.
Step 3. Pour a little of the mixture into the oil
Thanks to the dispenser, squeeze or pour the batter into the oil forming a spiral about 5 cm wide. Fry only 3-4 jalebi at a time to avoid overfilling the pan.
Shaping the jalebi is the most complicated part and it takes some practice. Once you understand the movement it will be simple
Step 4. Fry the cake until golden and crisp
At first the mixture will go to the bottom, but then it will come back to the surface. After a minute or two, flip the jalebi so it cooks on both sides. Finally, remove it from the pan and place it on absorbent paper to remove excess grease.
Step 5. Dip the dessert into the syrup
Dip it while it is still very hot, for at least a minute, even if some people prefer it to soak up the sugar for 4-5 minutes. Turn it over once more so that both sides are soaked in the sugary sauce, the jalebi should be well soaked.
Start frying the next batch of jalebi while the first is in the syrup
Step 6. Remove the sweets from the syrup and serve them
If you like to bring them to the table while still hot, arrange them on a tray or in a bowl with a little syrup on the side. Otherwise, remove them from the syrup and let them dry on a wire rack for several hours, until the sugar crystallizes.
