Jalebi

Jalebi
Alternative namesjilapi, jilebi, jilbi, jilipi, jelabee, jerry, mushabak, zulbia, z'labia, zalabia, pani walalu.
CourseDessert
Place of originWestern Asia

Regional variants:

Region or stateWestern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa
Serving temperatureHot or cold
Main ingredientsMaida flour or yeasted dough, saffron, ghee, sugar or honey
VariationsSesame oil, sesame seeds, yogurt, cinnamon, lemon, cardamon, also the shape of the food can change
Similar dishesAfghan Jalebi, Chhena jalebi, imarti, shahi jilapi, bamiyeh, lokma, zalabiyeh.

Jalebi is a popular sweet snack in the Indian subcontinent, West Asia and some parts of Africa. It goes by many names, including jilapi, zelepi, jilebi, jilipi, zulbia, zoolbia, jerry, mushabak, z'labia, or zalabia.

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.