Jalebi, also known as Zulbia or Zalabia, is the national sweet of India. It is popular and consumed in every part of the country. This dessert is mainly served hot with either curd or Rabri. The basic ingredients of making Jalebi are flour, sugar and cooking oil. However, many prefer to make it by using ghee. Jalebi is prepared by deep frying flour batter in circular or pretzel shape and then it is soaked in sugar syrup. Along with India, Jalebi is famous in Iran as well. The word Jalebi has been derived from the Arabic word Zulabiya or Persian word Zolbiya. This sweet dish was introduced to India during Medieval period by Persian speaking Turkish invaders. Jalebis are tremendously popular during various Indian festivals. In general, Jalebi is sold at different sweet shops throughout the year.

Ingredients of Jalebi:
The ingredients of Jalebi are:
1Cup refined flour

1/2 Cup yogurt

3 Cups sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

Saffron a few

Ghee for deep-frying

Method of Preparing Jalebi:
The method of preparing Jalebi is given in detail below:

Take a large bowl and whisk refined flour, yogurt and sufficient water to a smooth and pouring consistency batter.

Cover and keep in a proper place to ferment for 24 hours. Beat the batter using hands again for 15 minutes.

Cook sugar with 2 cups water in a non-stick pan on high heat and keep stirring. Continue till the sugar dissolves completely.

Add milk. When the scum rises to the top, collect it with a ladle and discard.

Add saffron and cook. Keep stirring, till the syrup reaches one string consistency. Keep the syrup warm.

Heat ghee in a kadai on medium heat.

Pour some batter onto a Jalebi cloth, gather the edges and make a tight potli.

Squeeze round spirals into the hot ghee and deep fry, turn them over gently a few times, till they are evenly golden and crisp.

Drain and soak in sugar syrup for 2-3 minutes.

Take them out of the syrup.

Serve hot.

Alternative Method of Preparing Jalebi
Jalebi can also be prepared in the following method. In terms of ingredients, this one is slightly different from the previous one:

Ingredients of Jalebi:
2 Cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Cup yogurt

Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying

1 Cup sugar

Few strands saffron

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

2 Drops orange food colour

2 tbsp rose water

The method of preparing Jalebi is:
Like the previous method, here too mix the flour, baking powder and yogurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.

Then pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.

Side by side melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency.

Now turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom. Stir well.

Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish.

Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.

Keep on frying till they turn golden and crisp. Remove and put directly into the sugar syrup allowing them to soak for around 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot.