One of the most popular street snacks in India you will come across, jalebi is not something you would want to indulge in everyday! Made from flour & a rich saffron sugar syrup, this mixture takes shape when deep-fried right along India’s busy streets. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle East and was brought to India by the Persian invaders.
Jalebi is a longtime favorite recipe of chef & restauranteurs Raj & Bina Sharma of Bombay Mahal in Brunswick, Maine
The couple moved to the coastal state of Maine from Germany & the United Kingdom 30 years ago & share their recipe for an at home sweet Indian jalebi.
Ingredients:
· 2 cups of all purpose flour
· 3 cups of sugar
· 4 cups of vegetable oil
· 4 cups of water
· 1 pinch of baking powder
· ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
· ½ teaspoon of edible orange food color
· 3 strands of saffron
· ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder
· 2 tablespoons of rosewater
Instructions:
1) Mix all dry ingredients to include flour, baking powder, & cardamom powder, in a large mixing bowl
2) Once dry ingredients have been mixed, add in your lemon juice, food coloring, and ½ a cup of water and stir until the batter become thick and creamy. Add in additional water if necessary.
3) Leave the batter to rise for 3-4 hours in room temperature heat with a wet cloth covering your bowl
4) Once batter has rested pour mixture into a condiment/ketchup dispensing bottle for deep frying
5) In a pan over medium heat bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add in sugar & saffron stirring frequently until the mixture become a rich syrup for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool off.
6) In a large wok or deep pan heat 4 cups of oil to 300 degrees and carefully squeeze the batter into oil creating a wiggly random coiled circle shape of about 3 inches in length.
7) Squeeze several servings into the pan at once and turn as they become a light golden color
8) As the Jalebis come out of the deep fry place them onto a paper towel to catch excess oil and immediately place into your warm sugar syrup to soak for 1-2 minutes
9) Finally sprinkle rose water over fresh Jalebi to enjoy as a sweet Indian bite