Teedi meedi Jalebi

Jalebi a Indian sweet made of flour and curd fried in ghee and sweetened by dipping it in sugar syrup. The Indian word jalebi is derived from the Arabic word zulabiya or the Persian zolbiya. The origin of jalabhi traces back to turkey from where it came to indian along with traveling merchants.The first Indian text with a reference to jalebi is Priyamkarnrpakatha during 1450 a Jain text written by Jinasura, which describes jalebi as part of the Indian merchant's dinner menu. Later, in 1600 CE, the Sanskrit text, Gunyagunabodhini, includes ingredients and dessert recipes that are similar to the present-day jalebi. soon this sweet became the part of indian traditional festival and used as offering for pooja.

JALEBI

INGREDIENTS :-

1 cup all purpose flour also known as maida

1 tablespoon chickpea flour also known as besan

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powderpinch of baking soda

3 tablespoons yogurtorange food color optionalwater as needed - around 1/2 cup + 2-3 tablespoonsoil or ghee to fry jalebisugar syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powderfew saffron strands

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD:-

1. In a large bowl mix together flour (maida), chickpea flour (besan), baking powder and baking soda.

2. Add yogurt, cardamom powder and mixAdd food color (if using) and water to form a flowing consistency batter.The batter should not be too thick or thin.

3. You may need up to 3/4 water depending on quality of maida and besan.

4. Cover the batter and let the batter sit for 10-12 hours to ferment. Mine took 24 hours because I live in a cold place. You see small bubbles on top of the batter once it has fermented.

5. In morning, whisk the batter a little. You may need to add little water [around 1 tablespoon] if batter looks too thick at this point.

6. Meanwhile add sugar to a pan. Add water and mix with sugar and let it all come to a boil.Once it comes to a boil, add cardamom powder, saffron strand and lemon juice.

7. Let it simmer till syrup becomes sticky and form a one string consistency. Basically place a drop of syrup in between your thumb and index finger and then when you move fingers away from each other, it should form a single thread.

8. If you can't get consistency, just make it sticky. Keep the syrup warm while you make the jalebis. Transfer jalebi batter into a squeeze bottle. The one I used had a very small tip hence the thin jalebis.

9. Meanwhile heat oil or ghee in a pan or kadai. I used a combination of the two. Keep heat to medium-low.

10. Squeeze batter in hot oil, making spiral motion from inside to outside. Remember to keep at low heat else you won't be able to form the shape. If the batter is dispersing in the oil, maybe it's too thin and you need to add some flour to it. Once you have made the spiral shape with the batter, increase the heat to medium-high.

11. Fry till crisp from both sides. Remove from oil and immediately dip in warm sugar syrup, few seconds on each side is good enough.

12. Remove jalebis from the sugar syrup and transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy homemade jalebi with milk or rabri.

13. You may garnish with some nuts or edible silver foil!!!!