Jalebi is a delicious sweet made all over India. One of my fondest memories of foods I have a eaten on my travels to India is Jalebi and not just because it is one of my husband’s favourite sweets of all time. Although seeing the childlike joy in his face as eats them and professes his love for them in great lengthy yet funny stories each time he eats one does make the experience more enjoyable. I don’t know, there is something fun about watching adults eat what is deemed for children unhealthy amounts of these sweets that makes it that much more amazing. Honestly once you try them you will know why you can’t eat just one you have to eat five to ten of them! They are light and crispy, covered and filled with syrup. When you take a bite warm syrup fills your taste buds with a light and dreamer flavour which in this case is lemon. It’s really more than just a food it’s an experience of texture, flavour, and sensation, that you simply can’t miss out on. So without further a due here is my take on the classic India household sweets stable Jalebi.

Jalebi Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chickpea flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 3 heaping tablespoons yogurt
• Yellow food color
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon oil
• water as needed (to thin the batter)
• oil (for frying)

Sugar Syrup Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil (depending on strength of your lemon oil and the flavour you want to achieve)

Instructions

Step 1. In a large bowl mix all Jalebi ingredients (excluding the oil) in a large mixing bowl until it has the consistency of pancake or funnel cake batter.

Step 2. Cover batter with plastic wraps making sure lay the plastic wrap on top of the batter and not the bowl so that the surface doesn’t dry out. Allow batter to ferment on countertop over night or 10 to 12 hours.

Step 3. Place batter in a squirt bottle and set to the side while you make the Jalebi syrup and heat the oil.

Step 4. Place Jalebi syrup ingredients in a medium sauce pan and turn the heat to medium high. Mix together until you have the consistency of maple syrup, and then turn the heat all the way down to a slightly higher than warm.

Step 5. Heat oil on medium heat and once its ready swirl the Jalebi batter in the oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

Step 6. Once golden drown quickly move Jalebi from the frying pan and into the syrup and cook in syrup on both side until syrup completely soaks into the Jalebi.

Step 7. Allow Jalebi to cool just enough to where you can pick it up because warm Jalebi’s are the best!

If you have tried this recipe please let me know in the comments below. This is my take on the classic Jalebi sweets from India. They are always flavoured with saffron and cardamom but I thought lemon would taste amazing! Let me know what you think in the comments below.