Zalabiyeh

Zalabiyeh
Deep-fried zalabiyeh
Alternative namesSpongy dough (sufgan), zlebia, jalebie, zülbiya, jilapi
TypeFritter, Doughnut
Region or stateMiddle East, North Africa, West Asia, Ethiopia, Europe, Algeria
Main ingredientsBatter (flour, yeast, water, salt), Optional: eggs, milk, sesame oil, sesame seeds

Zalabiyeh (Arabic: زلابية) is a fritter or doughnut found in several cuisines across the Arab world, West Asia and some parts of Europe influenced by the former. The fritter version is made from a semi-thin batter of wheat flour which is poured into hot oil and deep-fried. The earliest known recipe for the dish comes from a 10th-century Arabic cookbook and was originally made by pouring the batter through a coconut shell.