Jilebis are circular rings crunchy on the outside, warm and sweet on the inside. These are one of those classics that you will find in every Indian sweet stall. I thought they were rocket science until my niece insisted that we try making them at home during the lockdown.
And so we did, they turned out amazing! Believe me, they are so easy to make, you will never go back to store-bought again.
Makes about 30 jilebis, 3 inch in diameter
Ingredients:
For the jilebis:
1 cup maida/AP flour
3/4 cup water
2 tsp yogurt/curds
1 Tbsp ghee
A pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda or ENO salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
An empty ketchup bottle or plastic bag
About 3 cups oil to fry
For the sugar syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
A few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp lime juice
Place a shallow pan on the stove and add oil, set on low heat.
Now to make the sugar syrup, add the syrup ingredients in a bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil, then on medium heat, until the sugar syrup gets a little sticky. Add lime juice and stir. Turn off the heat.
In a mixing bowl, add all the jilebi ingredients and make a thick batter that resembles a pudding.
Pour it into the ketchup bottle or plastic bag, and cut a hole about 1/8th inch, Turn the oil heat up to medium. Once the oil starts smoking a bit, using the bottle, make circular concentric rings in the oil. Once crisp, flip it to the other side.
Cook for another 30 seconds and remove.
Immerse the crisp jilebis in the sugar syrup and let stay for 2 minutes. Remove and devour warm!
