Introduction
I still remember celebrating Eid as a child in Dhaka, waking to the smell of frying Jilapi (Bengali jalebi) in my grandmother’s kitchen. My eyes would light up at the sight of hot, coiled sweets – each spiral glistening with sweet syrup. Jilapi (Bengali for jalebi) is a beloved treat in Bengali culture, enjoyed at festivals and street stalls alike. It turns up at weddings, Eid, Durga Puja and other celebratory occasions. In fact, one reference notes that people in Bengal share sweets during Durga Puja, Lakkhi Puja, marriages and more as a way to spread happiness. Jalebi (In Bengali: jilapi) is traditionally made by deep-frying a wheat-flour batter in pretzel-like spirals and then soaking them in sugar syrup. This spiral dessert is crisp on the outside and sticky-sweet inside – exactly the kind of treat that makes Bengali festivals feel complete.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour (maida): 1 cup (about 125 g)
Gram flour (besan): 2 tablespoons (optional; adds crunch)
Semolina (suji/rava): 1–2 tablespoons (optional, for extra crispness)
Turmeric powder: a pinch (for color)
Plain yogurt: ½ cup (for fermentation; or ½ cup water for instant batter)
Baking powder or baking soda: ½ teaspoon (for the quick method)
Oil or ghee: for deep frying
For the sugar syrup: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, a pinch of saffron strands, 4–5 green cardamom pods (or ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder), and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Optional garnishes: nuts (pistachios, almonds) or fresh milk/rabri.
Preparation
1. Prepare the batter: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, gram flour (or semolina), turmeric and a pinch of baking powder if you are making instant Jilapi. Stir in the yogurt and enough water to form a thick but pourable batter. Beat or whisk thoroughly until smooth. The batter should flow easily but not be very runny.
2. Ferment (traditional) or rest (quick): For a traditional jilapi, cover the batter and let it rest at room temperature for 12–24 hours. The batter should develop a slight sour aroma from the yogurt. For a quicker version, add ½ teaspoon baking soda or baking powder now and skip the resting period. (The leavening will make the coils fluffy.)
3. Make the sugar syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the syrup reaches a single-string consistency (test by dipping a fingertip – a drop of syrup should form a thin thread between your fingers). Remove the pan from heat and stir in the saffron strands, crushed cardamom, and lemon juice. Keep the syrup warm while you fry the jilapi.
4. Heat the oil: In a deep pan or kadhai, heat oil or ghee over medium heat (around 160–170°C). If using neutral oil, add a tablespoon of ghee for extra richness and flavor. The oil should be hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles and rises immediately, but not so hot that the jilapi browns too fast.
5. Fry the coils: Pour the batter into a squeezable bottle or piping bag (or a sturdy ziplock bag with a small corner snipped off). Pipe out spirals or concentric circles directly into the hot oil. You can start from the center and spiral outward, or make loose coil rings. Fry the spirals on medium heat until they turn a deep golden-orange (they will puff up slightly). Fry one test jalebi first: if it puffs up into a thick soft spiral, your batter was too runny – add a little more flour. If it forms a thin, crispy disk, it was too thick – loosen it with a bit of water. Adjust as needed and fry the rest of the batch, turning so they brown evenly.
6. Soak in syrup: As soon as the coils are fried, transfer them to the warm sugar syrup. Make sure the syrup is warm, not boiling hot – very hot syrup will make the jilapi too soft. Let the jilapi soak for about 2–3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess syrup to drip off.
7. Serve: Serve the Jilapi hot or warm on plates. They will still be crisp on the outside and gooey inside. (See serving suggestions below for pairing ideas.)
Tips for Perfect Jilapi
Batter consistency: Aim for a batter that is fairly thick but free-flowing. As one recipe notes, “the consistency of the batter must be free-flowing yet thick” for crisp, springy coils. Adjust with small amounts of water or flour while mixing.
Piping and shape: Using a sauce bottle or cloth bag makes it easier to pipe uniform spirals. Hold the bottle close to the oil surface to minimize splatter.
Oil temperature: Fry on medium heat. If the oil is too cool, the jilapi will absorb oil and turn heavy; if too hot, they brown too quickly. You should be able to control a steady sizzle.
Syrup and soaking: Always use warm (not boiling) syrup. Test for “single-string” consistency, and stir in a little lemon juice or saffron as shown. Soak the fried jalebis for only 2–3 minutes; prolonged soaking or overly hot syrup will make them lose their crispness.
Prevent crystallization: A squeeze of lemon juice in the syrup helps keep it from crystallizing. If the syrup cools or crystallizes before soaking, gently reheat it.
Spiral perfection: If a spiral breaks or spreads, adjust batter thickness (add flour or water as mentioned) and try again. With practice, you’ll get the circular shape more uniform.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
Enjoy hot: Bengali Jilapi is traditionally eaten hot or warm. As one source notes, it can be served plain – but in some regions it’s also enjoyed with accompaniments like sweetened condensed milk (rabri), milk or yogurt.
With breakfast: In Bengal, crisp hot jilapi are even eaten alongside semolina pudding or sweet curd (mishti doi) for breakfast.
Garnishes: For a festive touch, serve sprinkled with slivered pistachios or almonds, or garnish the serving plate with fresh rose petals (a Bengali tradition for sweets).
Chanar Jilapi (paneer jalebi): A popular Bengali variant uses fresh chhena (cottage cheese) in the batter. This chhena-based jilapi (often shaped like knotted spirals) is a classic at Bengali sweet shops, with a richer, denser texture.
Sweeteners: You can swap refined sugar for date-palm jaggery (nolen gur) in the syrup for a seasonal twist – it turns the jalebi brownish and gives a caramel-like flavor.
Storage: Leftovers can be gently reheated in a low oven or skillet to regain crispness. However, jilapi are best eaten within a few hours while still crisp and warm.
Enjoy making and sharing this golden spiral sweet – a Bengali festival classic that never fails to spread joy!
The Pinch of Masala 