Jalebi
Jalebi (Hindi: जलेबी, Urdu: جلیبی) is a popular sweet snack in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including jilapi, zelepi, jilebi, jilipi, zulbia, jerry, mushabak, z’labia, zengoula or zalabia.
| Alternative names | jilapi, jilebi, jilbi, jilipi, jelabee, jerry, mushabak, zulbia, z’labia, zalabia, pani walalu |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | West Asia
Regional variants:
|
| Region or state | West Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa |
| Serving temperature | Hot or cold |
| Main ingredients | Maida flour or yeasted dough, saffron, ghee, sugar or honey |
| Variations | Sesame oil, sesame seeds, yogurt, cinnamon, lemon, cardamon, also the shape of the food can change |
| Similar dishes | Chhena jalebi, imarti, shahi jilapi, bamiyeh, lokma, zalabiyeh |
The South Asian variety 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. Jalebi is eaten with curd or rabri (in north India) along with optional other flavors such as kewra (scented water).
In some West Asian cuisines, jalebi may consist of a yeast dough fried and then dipped in a syrup of honey and rose water. The North African dish of Zalabia uses a different batter and a syrup of honey (Arabic: ʻasal) and rose water.