Everyone’s Favourite Indian Sweet, This Is Your Friendly Guide To Make Delicious, Tempting Jalebis

Jalebis are among the favorite indian sweets. With their bright orange colour, exciting crunch and gooey interior that melts in the mouth, jalebis are a favorite of people all over the country. From breakfast to a post-dinner dessert, they are enjoyed by people in a variety of different ways, and eaten at different times with different pairings. All of this is proof of their versatility and universality. So here’s how you can make jalebis at home and impress people at the next dinner party you throw.

Ingredients:

For the jalebi batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon gram flour (besan)
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 pinch baking soda or ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, to be added later after the batter has fermented

For the sugar syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
• oil for deep frying, as required – or ghee

Directions:

• In a bowl, add the flour and gram flour, baking soda and turmeric powder. Mix all the ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Then add water to the mix, a little at a time, and keep mixing as you do. Break up any lumps that might form in the batter and then briskly mix the batter in a circular direction until fully mixed. This adds volume to the batter and makes it even, which will then make it easier to cook. The batter should have a flowing consistency. Once ready, cover the batter and let it sit for 12 hours so it can ferment.
• Once fermented, you’ll notice the batter has become slightly thin. So add some flour and mix in to thicken the batter again.
• Now add the batter to a squeezable tomato ketchup bottle, that’s easily available in the market. Or into a piping bag if you prefer. Set aside.
• In a pan, add the sugar and saffron strands. Then add water and begin stirring it on low heat. The sugar should dissolve completely. Cook till it has reached one string consistency. That means that if you dip your index finger in the syrup and then touch it to your thumb and then pull your fingers apart, a string will form between your two fingers. 
• Once this consistency is reached, turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Mix well. Set aside.
• In a kadhai, add the oil and heat it. You can also use ghee, which gives a deeper flavor. Add a pinch of batter to check if the oil is hot enough. If it comes up immediately and crackles, the oil is ready.
• Squeeze the bottle and make circles in the batter. Or make the 8 shape. Be careful about splatter since the oil is hot. Once the jalebis are cooked on one side, turn them over and fry the other side too. Once they are light golden, your jalebis are ready. Remove with tongs and shake off any excess oil. 
• Place the fried jalebis immediately in the sugar syrup. Then turn so that the other side can also get coated in the syrup. Keep them for about 5 minutes in the syrup, so they have a deeper color.
• Remove and shake so the excess syrup falls off. Place on a plate. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Notes, tips and tricks:

• When fermenting the dough, consider the temperature of the place where you stay. If it's hot, it will ferment faster and you’ll need to let it sit for about 6 hours. If it's colder, it will need longer to ferment, about 10 hours. Keep an eye since if it ferments too much, it will become sour and have a bad smell.
• The batter should have a specific consistency where it flows but is still thick. It should not be too runny or too thick. It should flow out easily from the head of the ketchup bottle.
• Be careful about the consistency of the sugar syrup. Strictly follow the one-string consistency rule. If it's not as thick, the jalebis will absorb it like water, soften, and break. If it's too thick, then once absorbed by the jalebis, it will crystallise inside and break the jalebis once they have cooled.
• The recipe can easily be doubled or halved as needed.