Go Back
Jalebis stacked in a bowl
Print

Easy Instant Jalebi Recipe

For when you want that quick sweet crunchy fix
Course Dessert
Cuisine pakistani, indian
Diet Halal, Vegetarian
Author Sarah Mir

Ingredients

Sugar Syrup

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1.5 cup water
  • 4-5 cardamom pods lightly bruised
  • a few strands of saffron
  • a few drops of lemon juice

Jalebi Batter

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • baking soda - a small pinch (⅛ of a tsp)
  • 1 tbsp rice flour or cornstarch
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tbsp melted ghee
  • orange food coloring

For Frying

  • Neutral oil like corn plus a few tbsp of ghee

Instructions

Sugar Syrup

  • Combine all the sugar syrup ingredients in a medium sized pot (then you can use the same pot for dunking the jalebis) and bring to a boil
  • Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the syrup becomes slightly sicky and/or the last few drops of it fall of the spoon at a slower pace. Set aside.

Jalebi Batter & Frying

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. It is best to use a pan with higher sides or a wok and fill it with at least 3-4 inches of oil. Add the ghee.
  • Combine all the jalebi ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. When it comes together then you will see the batter fall off your whisk in smooth ribbons.
  • Transfer the batter into a piping bag, ziploc bag or a squeeze bottle (you may need to cut the tip). How big the hole is to pipe through depends on your preferred thickness.
  • Before frying the jalebi check the temperature of the sugar syrup, if it is slightly warm but not hot then you can continute on. Dunking jalebi in hot sugar syrup will ruin the texture.
  • Check the temperature of the oil, it should be shimmering, NOT smoking. Adjust your heat as needed to maintain that level.
  • Now for the fun part - pipe the jalebi onto the surface of the oil and you should see it sink a little, then rise within 20 seconds to the top. Fry for approximately 1.5-2 minutes on each side. (set a timer if needed, 1.5 minutes feels like A LOT more when you're impatiently waiting to eat jalebi!)
  • Remove the jalebi from the hot oil with a tong, dunk it in sugar syrup for 8-10 seconds. I was happier around 8 but you can adjust for your own preferences.
  • Continue frying until the batter is used up!

Notes

Tips for making crunchy jalebi in the blog post, the recipe is super simple as long as you follow the steps!