¾cup or more WaterOR as needed to adjust the consistency as flour type and quality varies.
For sugar syrup
2.5cupssugar450 grams
1cupwater240 ml
1teaspoonlemon juice5ml
7-8strands saffron
3-4pods cardamomcrushed
2drops orange food color, may use yellow
For making the jalebis
Piping bag/ ziplock bag / Ketchup bottle
Garnish (optional)
Slivered nuts
Dried rose petals
Instructions
Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and give it a good mix.
Add in ghee and mix with your fingers until the flour is well coated.
Slowly add in the water, a little at a time to form thick consistency pourable batter.
Batter consistency should be like the one for idli.
Whisk until lump-free. You can use an immersion blender too.
Once it is lump-free, cover the bowl with a lid.
Keep the batter aside for 10-15 minutes to rest.
Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup.
For the sugar syrup
Heat water and sugar in a tall pot on medium flame.
Stir occasionally.
Once it comes to a boil, stir in the lemon juice.
This will prevent sugar from crystallizing and give a tangy taste to the jalebis later.
After a boil, add the saffron and cardamom.
Cook the syrup for additional 2 minutes.
Stir the syrup often.
Switch off the flame and stir in the food color.
Let the syrup temperature drop to warm before soaking the jalebis.
How to know if the sugar syrup is ready?
Cool a teaspoon of sugar syrup in a bowl and add a drop between your fingers.
The syrup should feel sticky, like one string as shown in the video.
If it feels less sticky or watery, reheat the syrup for a minute to achieve the right consistency.
Now heat ghee in a wide bottom pan on medium flame.
Fill a piping bag or bottle with the thick jalebi batter.
We prefer thin jalebis, hence I snip off the piping bag accordingly.
Once the ghee feels warm enough, test by dropping a dollop of batter.
If the batter fluffs up gradually then the ghee is hot enough to make jalebis.
If the batter takes time to float then let the ghee heat up well.
Keep your piping bag upright and quickly pipe swirls.
Make 3-4 jalebis at a time and do not overcrowd the pan.
Lower the flame if needed.
Once you have piped the jalebis let it cook for 15-20 seconds undisturbed.
Now turn the jalebis with a fork or prongs and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Once done, immediately soak them in the warm sugar syrup.
Make sure that the sugar syrup isn’t completely cold nor it is too hot.
Keep it warm at all times.
Soak the jalebis in the syrup flipping once in between for 40 seconds.
Over soaking can make them soggy.
Take them out on a plate.
Continue the process of making the rest of the jalebis, 3-4 at a time, and soaking them in the syrup.
Enjoy them warm or store in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Video
Notes
Possible substitutes
Swap rice flour for besan.
Use an equal amount of yogurt in place of ghee inside the batter.
Substitute baking powder with 1 teaspoon Eno fruit salt or ¼th teaspoon baking soda.
Key points to note for making the best jalebi at home
Try to keep the batter lump-free as possible. This will ensure smooth piping and shape.
The batter consistency should be thick but dropable.
Fry jalebis in small batches, 3-4 at a time.
Keep the sugar syrup warm at all times. Not too hot or cold.
Keep the batter medium consistent as shown in the video. If it is too thin, spirals won't form. If it is too thick it will be difficult to push it out of the icing bag making wacky shapes.
Immediately after frying put the jalebis in the sugar syrup.
Do not use a very wide pan as soaking the jalebis with enough syrup will be difficult. I have used a 6” stainless steel utensil.
Storing Jalebis
Store it in an airtight container after it is completely cooled down.
Will stay crisp at room temperature for a day and in the fridge for 2 days.
Frequently made mistakes and solutions
Jalebi's shape is breaking while making a spiral.
It can be because the batter is too thin or the ghee is too hot. Remove all the batter from the bag, add a tablespoon or more flour at a time, and adjust the consistency. Now try again. Keep the ghee on medium flame. If it is very smoky, switch off the gas for a few minutes until it cools a bit.
Jalebis are not forming neat spirals.
It is possible that your batter is thin. Just take it out of the piping bag or bottle, and add 1-2 tablespoons of flour. Then proceed.
You need a steady hand to make jalebis. Keep the piping bag perpendicular to the frying pan.
The nozzle should be as close to the ghee as possible and make round circular movement quickly. If you work slowly the shape will be wiggly.
Making spirals comes with practice. If you are a beginner, maybe after making 10 jalebis you will get a hang of it. But hey jalebi in any shape is still yummy.
The Jalebis are not crispy
Mainly because not enough baking powder, old baking powder, or the jalebis are fried on a very low flame.
Chewy Jalebis
If the ghee isn't warm enough, the jalebis will not fluff and will have to cook for a longer time. This makes it chewy later on.
Jalebis are soggy
Soak jalebis for no more than 20-30 seconds flipping once in between. If you leave the jalebis in the syrup for a long time they will turn soggy.