Jalebi

Ingredients

• 200 g plain flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp plain yogurt, whisked
• ½ tsp instant yeast
• 220 ml lukewarm water, plus a little more if needed
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder or a pinch of orange food colour
• 400 g white sugar
• 250 ml water, for the syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 pinch saffron strands
• 1 tsp rose water or kewra water
• 700 ml cooking oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp ghee, added to the frying oil for flavour (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, cornflour, yeast and turmeric together in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and half the water and mix to a paste.
2. Gradually add the remaining water, whisking hard for 2–3 minutes until the batter is completely smooth and falls from the whisk in a thick, flowing ribbon, like pancake batter.
3. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place until the surface is bubbly and the batter smells lightly sour and has slightly increased in volume.
4. Make the syrup near the end of resting: put the sugar, 250 ml water, lemon juice and cardamom in a wide pan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
5. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the syrup feels slightly sticky between two spoons and forms a thin thread when pulled. Stir in the saffron and rose water, then keep the pan on the lowest heat so the syrup stays warm.
6. Stir the rested batter once and pour it into a squeeze bottle or piping bag with a small hole about 4 mm wide. Do not beat it again, or the bubbles will be lost.
7. Heat the oil and ghee in a wide shallow pan over medium heat to about 165°C. A drop of batter should rise slowly and sizzle gently without browning at once.
8. Pipe a tight spiral, about 6 cm wide, with two or three overlapping rings and finish by crossing back over the lines. Fry 3–4 spirals at a time without crowding.
9. Fry for 1–2 minutes, turning once, until crisp and light golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain for a few seconds only.
10. Drop the hot jalebis into the warm syrup, press them under, and leave for 20–30 seconds, turning once, until they are glossy and syrup shows in the hollows.
11. Lift out onto a wire rack or plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat so each batch colours evenly. Serve warm.

Tips

• Keep the syrup warm, not boiling. Cold syrup makes jalebis soggy, and syrup that is too thick will not soak in.
• If the spirals break apart in the oil, the batter is too thin. Whisk in 1–2 tbsp more flour. If it will not flow, add a spoonful of water.
• Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the inside crisps. Lower the heat if the spirals darken in under a minute.
• Practise the spiral shape on a plate first, with the bottle held close to the oil surface.