We can have ‘Jalebi’ with a samosa or shingara, or we can have it alone but it is best paired with generous creamy rabdi! Jalebi is one of the most famous dishes among South Asian people, especially in India and Bangladesh. A piece of hot crunchy jalebi is a go-to dessert for many sweet lovers.
People are mesmerized by the color, crispness, moistness and unique shape of a jalebi. It would not be wrong to say that the process of making jalebi is no less than marvellous and unique. The way it is being made shows its uniqueness. It needs a thin cloth to handle easily and then to fry in hot oil. After frying, it needs to be transferred into the sugar syrup faster. It is famous in almost every house in India and Bangladesh.
Do you know the actual history of jalebi and where it originated? Jalebi originated in West Asia. It is a version of West Asian ‘Zolabiya’ or ‘Zalabiya’. ‘Zalabiya’ was a festive treat in Iran, where everyone enjoyed it, during the iftar of Ramadan. It is told that the writer Muhammad Bin-Hasan al-Baghdadi collected all the dishes of that time and featured them in his cookbook named ‘Kitab-al-Tabeekh’ in the 13th century. He included the word ‘Zalabiya’ for the first time. Many countries claim ‘Zalabiya’ as their dessert until it got familiar to the world. Turkish and Persian traders were there in that competition. By the 15th century, Jalebi became the mainstay in family functions, get together and on every festive occasion.
Preparing jalebi is not an easy task. It takes time to create this magic. It can be made with all-purpose flour, semolina, rice flour or chickpea flour, etc. Adding Safran into the batter of Jalebi makes it look more radiant.
Jalebi is mostly consumed in Asian countries for about 500 years. It made history with its making process. The thick batter is placed in a soft cloth cone and a small opening at the end to make spiral shapes. Then it is fried in refined oil. It is then soaked in the sugar syrup and served. Just like another regular sweetmeat, jalebi is known for its taste and flavour. Dessert lovers can never have enough jalebi when it comes to craving sweets. Jalebi is and will forever be a go-to sweetmeat for every Bengali. The delicacy of jalebi will continue to reign in the universe.
