Jalebi - All You Need To Know About

 

Jalebi Recipe | Image Resource : shutterstock.com

Indian cuisine is famous all over the world not because of its cultural variations but the elegant taste that cherishes one’s mood. Some derived from different nations while some of the Indian origin; the wide range or cuisines that come from India is known for variation in its taste. When we talk about food, then we cannot muss the dessert and if it is about Indian dessert, the Jalebi is something that can make anyone drool.  Jalebi looks like a coiled structure and is scrumptiously sweet to savor. During ancient times, Arab nations including Iran stepped into India for carrying trade. Apart from bringing the trade, they introduced their style of cuisine.

Also known as Zalabia or Zulbia in the Middle East, this authentic dish is sure to be included in the breakfast. This sweet dish is savoured with curd or rabdi which enhances its flavor. With time, several variations have been made in the core ingredients and slight changes have been made in Jalebi flavors. Be it the parties, wedding, festivals or any holiday, this is the most preferred dessert in India.

In West Asia, in Christian communities Jalebi is savoured on the Feast of the Theophany (Epiphany).

Know the history of Jalebi cuisine

It is believed that Jalebi was introduced as Zalabiya by the Persian and Turkish traders during medieval times. They took this dessert all over the world especially in Indian Territory through trade. Around the 16th century, a book on food science named ‘Bhojana-Kutuhala’  written by Raghunath who mentioned about how Jalebi came to India. Whether served cold or warm, the crisp and chewy texture when eaten in combination with a dip of Rabdi just mesmerises you.

Today you can find various variations of Jalebi like that made from cottage cheese , the conventional Jalebi made from maida dipped in sugar syrup is the one that rules the taste buds of people of all age group. To provide a punch of tanginess, curd or lime juice is used. The difference in flavours is made with the sugar syrup. It can be made simple with mere water and sugar or cardamom, saffron, rose water or vanilla essence is added to make it more flavourful and rich in aroma.

The specialty of jalebi in different states

While moving from one place to another within Indian Territory, one can find significant variations in taste, flavours, ingredients and cooking technique of Jalebi. The best part about this sweet dish is that the jalebi recipe is versatile, you can add different tastes to it  and you can enjoy it with other dishes like in Gujarat, Jalebi is eaten with Fafda and it is the special breakfast meal of the state. The healthier version is available in Bengaluru, commonly known as green jalebi which is made from special beans. In Madhya Pradesh, Jalebi recipe is made using dried milk dipped into caramelised sugar. This popular dessert is consumed with different combinations.

The cooking technique is quite complicated as utmost attention is paid on the consistency of the batter, thickness and content of the sugar syrup. Although the most loved dessert in India, one should keenly consider the calories. A single piece of medium size contains approx. 44 calories. One should consume it accordingly without compromising health and taste.

But above all, if you are looking for satiating your sweet tooth, then hogging on any of the Jalebi recipe is the best way to do the same