Jalebi – Sweet, Sugary Swirls Made In Guyana

If you’d like to be overloaded with sweet then there is a soft, mellow confection that can satisfy you. The name is jalebi. Some people may not be familiar with jalebi but for those who are they can tell you – it is very sweet! Deliciously flavored, it is soaked in a sugary syrup or sometimes the syrup is poured on it. This adds to the scrumptious snack being even more appetizing. The following will let you know some more details about this delightful snack.

General Information About Jalebi

Jalebi, also known as zulbia and zalabia, is a sweet and popular food found all over South Asia and the Middle East. It is extremely common in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It is made by deep-frying maida flour (plain flour or all-purpose flour) batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. They are particularly popular in the Indian subcontinent and Iran.

This dessert can be served warm or cold. They have a somewhat chewy texture with a crystallized sugary exterior coating. Citric acid or lime juice is sometimes added to the syrup, as well as rose water. Jalebi is eaten with curd or rabri (North India) along with optional other flavors such as kewra (scented water).

Did You Know? Jalebi originated from Western Asia (Zalabiyeh/ Luqmat al qadi) India.

How Did Jalebi Arise In Guyana?

Jalebi was brought to Guyana by migrants of Indian origin. These Indians were recruited as indentured laborers after slavery had been abolished in the 19th century, and they brought their local recipes with them which they altered according to ingredients available in their new home. Over the decades, local taste slowly altered, leading to the Indian-based part of the Guyanese cuisine known today. Yes, as time passes jalebi began to be made with ingredients available right here in Guyana. However, the taste remains delicious and flavorsome as ever.

Nutrition Of Jalebi

• Calories: 221kcal
• Carbohydrates: 39g
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 6g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Potassium: 16mg
• Sugar: 25g
• Vitamin C: 0.6%
• Calcium: 2.2%
• Iron: 5.1%

How To Make The Perfect Jalebi

Everyone wants yummy, crispy jalebis but sometimes some mistakes can be made. The key to making crisp, juicy and light jalebis is the consistency of the batter. Your jalebi can taste amazing and perfect if your batter is prepared correctly. Here is the key: ‘the consistency of the batter must be free flowing yet thick’. Below is a table to show the mistakes you may make while making jalebi.

Making Jalebi Guyanese Style

Jalebi

Batter Ingredients:

• 1 cup Maida (Flour)
• 1 tsp Besan (Gram flour)
• ½ tsp Fresh Yeast, Crumbled Well
• 1 tbsp. Ghee, Melted
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3 drops Yellow Food Color
• For deep frying: Oil or Ghee
• Lemon Juice

Syrup Ingredients:

• ½ Cup Sugar
• A few strands of Saffron or Kesar
• ¼ tsp Lemon Juice

Batter Method:

1. Sieve the maida and the besan together properly.
2. Dissolve the yeast in just one tbsp. of water.
3. Mix together the flour, yeast, ghee, sugar, lemon and the yellow color food color along with 2/3 cup of water in order to make a thick batter, and make sure that there are no lumps in between. Keep this batter aside for around ten minutes.
4. Heat the ghee in a broad frying pan and ensure that the ghee is at least 25 mm or one inch deep.
5. Put all the jalebi batter in a piping bag that has a single hole or a thick cloth having a tiny hole in its center.
6. Press out slowly round whirls into the hot oil or ghee making round shapes like whirls (roughly two inches in diameter)
7. Deep fry all the jalebis in the oil or ghee till they turn golden brown and then transfer them into the warm sugar syrup.
8. Drain immediately and then serve them hot.

Syrup Method:

1. Dissolve the sugar with half a cup of water and then cook on slow flame till the syrup is of two string consistency.
2. Add the saffron strings and the lemon juice and mix it well in the syrup.
3. Remove the syrup from fire and keep it aside.

Note: Do not allow the jalebi batter to become too fermented. Fry the jalebis as soon as the batter has been kept aside for ten minutes

Here Is Another Way To Make Jalebi

Jalebi

Batter Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour (self-raising)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup yogurt
• 3 strands saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 3 inches vegetable oil (canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying)
• 2 drops food coloring (orange)

Syrup Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons rosewater

Method:

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, yogurt, and food coloring into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.
3. Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.
4. To make sugar syrup, melt the sugar with the rosewater in a small saucepan and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and gently tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb, the syrup is done.
5. Turn off the fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
6. Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure thorough cooking of the jalebis.
7. Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.
8. Fry until light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
9. Allow to soak for 2 to 3 minutes and then remove and serve warm.

Watch This: Video Recipe – How To Make Jelibe

Jalebi In Guyana

Jalebi is a one of a kind snack made here in Guyana. If your sugar is low, eat one of these treats and you are good to go. If you are not careful, eating too much can give you a sugar rush. So, be balanced when eating this delicate sweet. It is sold at certain places in Guyana such as in the Georgetown City Mall, in the Giftland Mall, Massy Supermarket or at any Indian Cuisine Restaurant. Yes, these sweet, sugary swirls are delightful treats to many Guyanese and even inquisitive foreigners.

Article References:

• http://www.guyanadining.com/jalebi-recipe/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalebi
• https://www.thespruceeats.com/jalebi-deep-fried-dessert-1957798
• https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/jalebi-recipe/