Jalebi recipe – A quick and easy sweet recipe under 30 mins. Learn how to make Jalebi that are crispy, juicy & delicious. Jalebi is one of the most popular desserts from Indian subcontinent. Similar to Gulab jamun, jalebi too makes its appearance during weddings, celebrations & festivals. They are much popular as a street food and is also sold in Sweet shops or mithai shops.
Jalebi can be made for any festivals like Diwali, Holi & Eid.
I make jalebi twice a year during my kids’ holidays as they love them a lot. This time I made it during dussehra & took the pictures to share with you all.
Making jalebi at home is easy and can also be made by a beginner. If you are new to Indian cuisine these faqs may help you:
What is jalebi?
Jalebi is a spiral shaped crisp & juicy sweet that is made of all purpose flour, gram flour and sugar syrup.
How to make Jalebi?
To make jalebi, firstly a batter is prepared using flour. Then it is fermented for several hours to acquire a unique fermented flavor.
Then the batter is poured to spirals or concentric circles in the hot oil. They are fried until crisp and then immersed in sugar syrup.
There are 2 ways to make Jalebi:
- 1. Traditional method made by fermenting the batter.
- 2. Instant version without fermentation.
I have shared tips to make both the methods in this post.
How to make best jalebi
The key to making crisp juicy & light jalebis is the consistency of batter. You can make amazing jalebi at home if your batter is prepared correctly. The consistency of the batter must be free flowing yet thick.
I have this image to help you understand and fix the consistency if you have trouble making it right.
- 1. Shrunk jalebi – over fried or fried on low heat.
- 2. Flat jalebis – oil not hot enough, made on low heat.
- 3. Thin & flat – runny batter
- 4. Thick & soft jalebi – Too thick batter
I have shared how to fix the batter consistency in the recipe below.
More Diwali Sweets recipes
Rasgulla
Gulab jamun
Kaju katli
Rasamalai
Preparation
1. You will need a squeezable sauce bottle or oil dispenser or zip lock bags. A dispenser with a sharp tip works better. For readers in Singapore: I bought it in mustafa 2 yrs ago. You can find similar ones there.
Before proceeding further decide on which method to follow. Fermented or instant. I made a few times following the fermented method the results were good but it is hard for me to follow the schedules like planning and keeping the kids waiting.
So I love the instant method. I felt there is no difference in flavor due to the addition of curd.
If you prefer to go by the fermented method, then make the batter the previous night. Make the sugar syrup just before frying the jalebis. If following the instant method just follow the steps as is in the same order mentioned below.
Making sugar syrup for jalebi recipe
2. Add sugar to a pot. Avoid cast iron pans like the one I used as it quickly crystallizes the syrup.
3. Pour water.
4. Boil the syrup until it reaches a 1 string consistency.
5. To check take a small portion of sugar syrup in between your thumb & fore finger. Gently move the fingers apart, you must see a single string. I took it off a bit early as it continues to cook in cast iron pans.
6. Pour 1 tsp lemon juice. Add in saffron (optional) and cardamoms. Mix & Set this aside.
Making batter for jalebi recipe
7. Add maida, corn flour & turmeric. If fermenting then add besan instead of cornflour.
8. Mix well and add curd. You can skip the curd and ferment the batter for 12 to 24 hours until a slightly sour flavor develops.
9. Start by adding 1/4 cup water. Use more as needed.
10. Make a thick smooth batter by mixing. Use more water as needed.
11. Beat the batter well with a whisk for 4 to 5 mins in circular motion. The batter will turn smooth.
12. You may get a thick batter like this with a ribbon consistency. This is not the consistency we want, So sprinkle more water as needed. The batter has to be free flowing & moderately thick but not too thick.
13. Add lemon juice and mix. If fermenting, skip lemon juice.
Frying jalebi
14. Heat ghee or oil for frying. If using oil, then add 1 to 2 tbsp of ghee to the oil. This enhances the flavor.
15. When the oil is heating up, add soda to the batter. Give a gentle mix.
16. Spoon few tbsps of batter to sauce bottle. The oil has to be hot enough and the flame medium high. Check if the oil is hot by dropping a small portion of batter in the oil. It has to rise immediately without browning.
17. Make one jalebi and check the consistency. If it turns out thick then, sprinkle some water and thin down the batter a bit. If it is thin and flat, then add 1 tbsp maida and mix. For more details check the pic in the FAQ. Fry them on a medium high flame until crisp.
18. The last 1 minute I fry them on a low heat as this helps them to keep crisp for a little longer. Remove with a skewer.
19. Add to the slightly hot to warm sugar syrup. If the syrup has crystallized or turned cold. Then add 1 tsp water and heat up. Soak the jalebis for 2 to 3 mins.
Please note that adding jalebis to very hot syrup will turn them soft. Ensure the syrup is not warm.
20. Remove to a plate and spread them. Pour the entire batter to the sauce bottle and make more jalebi.
Serve jalebi hot or warm.
How is Jalebi served?
Jalebi is eaten without any side across India. But in some regions it is also eaten with milk, rabri, curd or fafda.
Related Recipes
Jalebi recipe | How to make jalebi
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
For jalebi
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (organic maida) 125 grams
- 2 tablespoons corn flour (or besan if fermenting batter) (16 grams)
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric or use natural food color
- ½ cup curd (plain yogurt) (or water if fermenting batter) (120 ml)
- ½ cup water (more if needed) (120 ml)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (or 1 large pinch for fermented batter)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- oil or ghee as needed
For sugar syrup
- 1 cup sugar (use organic) (200 grams)
- ½ to ¾ cup water (I used ½ + 2 tbsps) (120 ml to 180 ml)
- 1 pinch saffron or kesar optional
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or elaichi powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Equipment needed
- 1 sauce bottle or Zip lock bag or cloth bag
Instructions
Making sugar syrup
- Add sugar and water to a pot.
- Boil on a medium heat until it reaches a 1 string consistency.
- Take a small portion of the syrup in a spoon. Cool it slightly.
- Take it in between your thumb and fore finger.
- Gently move the fingers away from each other, you must see a single string.
- Pour lemon juice, cardamom powder and saffron. Remove from heat. Stir and set aside.
- If your syrup goes beyond this stage, then sprinkle some water and mix. Recheck for the 1 string consistency.
Make batter for jalebi – follow A or B
- A. Method 1: For Instant jalebi : Add maida, cornflour and turmeric to a mixing bowl. Mix everything well until uniform. Next add curd. Pour water & make a thick lump free batter. The batter has to be thick but of flowing consistency. If needed add more water. Beat the batter well with a whisk in one direction in a circular motion for 4 mins. The batter will turn smooth.
OR
- B. Method 2: For fermentation : Mix together maida, besan & turmeric in a bowl. Pour water & make a thick batter of pouring consistency. Cover and ferment for 12 to 24 hours until the batter gets a very mild sour flavor. The batter will not rise, but will have tiny bubbles on top.
How to make jalebi
- Heat ghee or oil on a medium heat to fry jalebis.
- If using oil, then add 1 to 2 tbsp ghee to the oil. This enhances the flavor.
- Pour 1 tsp lemon juice to the batter & mix. Skip the lemon juice if you have fermented the batter.
- Add soda and mix gently just until combined.
- Check batter consistency: The prepared batter must be smooth free flowing and thick. Spoon just 2 to 3 tbsp of batter to the sauce bottle to check if the consistency is right.
- Next check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the batter. It has to come up immediately without browning.
- Now squeeze the bottle gently and move in circular motion to get spiral. If you are getting very thick jalebi, then the batter is thick. Next if you are getting very thin flat jalebis the batter is thin.
- To fix thick batter, add a tbsp or more water. Next to fix thin batter, add a tbsp of maida (all purpose flour). Take a look at the pic in the FAQ section to fix the batter.
- Mix the batter well. Spoon it to the bottle.
Frying jalebi
- Ensure oil is hot and the flame set to medium high heat.
- Squeeze in the batter gently in circular motions starting from the center moving outside.
- You can also do it the other way. You will get properly shaped ones after making a few.
- While the jalebi is getting fried, check the syrup. It must be slightly hot to warm when the jalebi is dipped into it. If not heat up a bit.
- The last 1 minute, turn the flame to low and fry the jalebi. This helps to make them extra crisp.
- When the jalebi is done it turns crisp. Remove it with a skewer and add to the warm sugar syrup directly.
- Allow to rest for 2 mins. Remove to a plate. Continue to make more jalebis.
- Serve jalebi hot.
Notes
Turmeric doesn’t affect the flavour. It is just for color.
I added 1 tsp water to the sugar syrup and heated a bit when ever it turned cold & crystallized. I did it thrice for the entire recipe.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hi Swasthi!
When you let the batter ferment overnight, do you keep in the fridge?
Hi Priya
It won’t ferment if you keep in the fridge. You should keep it in a warm place for fermentation
How do I keep jalebi from being too oily?
If the oil is not hot enough they turn oily.
Also too much yogurt, overfermentation and too much leavening agent makes them too oily.
How do I keep Jane I from getting too oily?
Swasthi, if I use a candy thermometer to determine when the syrup has cooked sufficiently, what temperature should I take it off the stove?
Thanks.
Hi Paul
I haven’t measured it anytime.
I love you Swasthi
Thank you so much Kristin
It is the greatest recipe I’ve tried so far. Unfortunately I ran out of maida(all purpose flour), Is there any chance I could use wheat flour instead?
Hi Zein,
Thank you! I haven’t tried with wheat flour so not sure. It may work. Try with a smaller batch
Hi Swasthi, thanks for the detailed recipe with pictures. My jalebis were thin and squiggly. The batter did not shape into spirals. Is there a way for readers to share pictures with you? I took pictures and would love to know what went wrong. They don’t match the ones you took to show the different errors. Thanks.
Hi,
Looks like the batter is too runny. Which recipe did you follow? Because my recipe gives the steps to check the batter consistency. If it is runny then add some flour to bring it to right consistency. We don’t have an option to upload readers pictures. If you want to then you may mail me or send on FB or insta.
Thanks Swasthi. I had tried method B (fermentation). The oil was the right temperature. I used a Ziplock bag and didn’t test-fry any jalebis first. It may have been that the batter was too thin. In a previous attempt, it was too thick! The jalebis also seemed cold even though dipped in warm syrup. Oh well. Compliments to you on your cooking and thorough explanations.
Hello Swasthi, jelebi happens to be one of my most favorite desserts. I am going to try the method you described above. Growing up I remember eating Jelebi from one of the local stores in my hometown in Andhra. That Jelebi used to be so delicious and awesome. Every spiral was plump and filled with sugar syrup as if the syrup was injected manually into the spirals using a syringe. Looking back nearly 5 decades later, I sometimes wonder how that guy used to make Jelebi so perfectly. I have no idea what was his secret in making Jelebis like that. Jelebis I ate in other places after I left my hometown are ok but they looked as if they were coated with sugar syrup. Nothing penetrated into the spirals. If you happen to know the secret as how to make the spirals filled with syrup and make them juicy please share. Thanks and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Hello Rom garu,
Happy new year to you all! Thank you so much for the wishes. A lot of practice is needed to get the perfect shapes. They usually ferment the batter overnight. I guess they also add yeast (or fermented batter from the previous batch) so they come out plump. Yes sure! Hope you enjoy this.
Hi! Swasti ji…I am Beena and I just tried your jalebi recipe using the fermented method. I have made jalebis for the first time and wow! They turned out perfect. I followed your step by step instructions and there it was. It got over in no time and my family relished them with full gusto. Thanks very much.
Hi Beena ji
So glad to know your family enjoyed them. Thank you so much for the comment.
🙂
I would like to suggest one thing. Please mention the weight of finished product. This will help the viewers to calculate the yield. For products like jalebi, mention the number of units, here jalebis prepared. If possible, mention the the diameter of dispenser hole and diameter of jalebi. I am a student of food engineering. These things will make the recipe more informative. The thing I liked is nutritional information. It is quite impressive. Also depicting each step proves useful.
Keep up the good work!
Catch-up bottle is best to make Jalebi.
I took 2/3 cup maida (all purpose wheat flour) and 1/3 cup besan. I like to make it with 50-50 proportion of besan and flour to increase protein content.
Jalebi should not be more than 2 inch diameter.
I made roughly hundred Jalebi with proportion
Also, yeast fermentation is better as it would consume carb of maida.
I took few grain of dry yeasts in a table spoon of sugar dissolved in like warm water and let it seat in warm place for 5 minutes. Then I added 2 teaspoon of maida in it and mixed it and let it seat for 15 minutes. When this mix became foamy, I mixed rest of maida/besan mix with some like warm water. I did not add oil or any other ingredients in order to have speedier and better fermentation.
Longer the fermentation better the nutritional value as yeasts consume carbohydrate to produce vitamin B and protein.
Add some oil and baking powder and cardemom. Baking powder will bring crispiness and make Jalebi crunchy.
Do not use lemon juice and backing soda. Mixing these two creates more bubble nothing else and will kill the effect of baking powder.
First time trying to ever make Jalebi. Thank you for the recipe and detailed instructions especially all your tips! My husband helped me making it so it was a great couples experience too haha and we both are taking it to my nephew’s 2nd birthday party! Our only concern was ours didn’t turn out round and it was all different mixtures of designs. We both tried to do our best but it did not come out the typical Jalebi shape… also how do you keep the sugar syrup from not crystallizing constantly? We put it on the stove to heat it and the outside bubbles but I the crystallization didn’t go away! All in all, it tastes amazing so that’s the most important part 🙂
Hi Krishna,
Glad to know they tasted amazing. Getting a proper shape just comes out of practice. Actually you can practice it in the bowl itself before frying. I suggest to follow the step-by-step photo instructions as they are more detailed and helpful for first timers. If the sugar syrup crystalizes, you should sprinkle some water and heat it a bit. I have mentioned it in the step-by-step photo instructions above. Hope this helps.
Hi Swasthi,
Happy Vijayadashami/Dussehra! Is there a substitute for corn flour/starch?
Hi Monika,
Happy Vijayadashami! Not sure but wheat flour or rice flour may work.
Thanks for the wishes!
🙂
Hi Swasthi
I was wanting to try the recipe for a long time. Given my set of frying skills was a bit skeptical. My first attempt has been fairly decent I feel and the taste is also nice. We did like it. Happy to have a response from you and giving a positive and constructive feedback on the jalebi. Hoping in a few more trials I will get it bang on. Detailed recipe given by you step wise is easy for a first timer like me to follow.
Thankyou so much. Please do keep updating your new recipes. We all look forward to it.
Hi Suhasini
You are welcome! Glad they turned out good. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Yes you need to practice it a bit.
Hi Swasthi
I was wanting to try the recipe for a long time. Given my set of frying skills was a bit skeptical. My first attempt has been fairly decent I feel and the taste is also nice. We did like it. Happy to have a response from you and giving a positive and constructive feedback on the jalebi. Hoping in a few more trials I will get it bang on. Detailed recipe given by you step wise is easy for a first timer like me to follow.
Thankyou so much. Please do keep updating your new recipes. We all look forward to it.
I am very interested in trying out the fermented version, which must be healthier because the fermentation process breaks down the carbohydrates and makes it much more digestible ( like idli and dosa!) I wonder if you could replace the sugar syrup with honey? That would make it sugar free as well. Thanks, any response is much appreciated
I haven’t tried with honey anytime. I don’t think it will be absorbed by the jalebi unless it is diluted. Not sure if it works.
Fatima maybe you can use xylitol which is a sweetener that tastes exactly like sugar.
Great recipes Swasthi. Nice details and tips are what makes all the difference. Kudos
Thank you so much!
Hii great recipe. I always following your recipes ??
Hi Bishnupriya
Thank you so much!
🙂
Perfect recipe.. I have made jalebis using your recipe so many times and every time they are just so good
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe !!!!
Welcome Surbhi.
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment!
🙂
SI
Thanks Stefan
Thanks for sharing Swathi Ji. It came out wonderful.
Glad to know Aditi
Hi ,I tried your Apple sponge cake.it turned out to be really spongy and tasty.
Glad to know Shweta