Jangiri or the South Indian Jalebi

 

Jangiri

Jangiris are south Indian jalebis made with split urad dal.

Ingredients:-
Urad dal – 1 cup (soaked overnight in 2 cups of water)
Baking soda – a pinch
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Orange food color – a pinch ( as orange food color is not available here I had to mix yellow & red food colors)
Powdered Cardamom – a pinch
Canola oil / Ghee – as needed

For the syrup
Sugar – 2 cups
Water – 11/4 cup
Rose water – 1 tbsp/ Rose essence – 1/2 tsp

Method:-
Sterilise a thick cloth  in boiling water the previous day & let it dry thoroughly.
Combine sugar, water & the rose essence; keep it on the stove top.
Drain water from the dal. Grind it to a paste adding soda, salt, color, cardamom & 1/2 cup of water. The paste should be thick but you should be able to squeeze & make patterns of the batter.
Take a thick cloth & make a hole at it’s center using a nail/ screw. You may make a button hole stitch to strengthen the hole.

Transfer the batter to the cloth & close it from all the 4 sides. Keep aside.


For making the syrup heat the sugar & water you have combined before & let it boil for 3 minutes on high heat ( take care, it should not reach the string consistency.) Reduce the heat to the lowest & maintain the syrup like that ( you may have to pour little water into the syrup from time to time so that it does not reach the string consistency).

Heat 1/2″ of oil in a flat frying pan. When the oil becomes medium hot take the cloth & squeeze the batter into the oil & make jalebi like patterns ( you may pipe a circle/ 2 concentric circles on which you could make smaller circles). Fry on medium heat ( not low/high) till both sides are crisp ( I like my jalebis crisp) & jalebi is cooked through.



Immerse the fried jalebis immediately into the sugar syrup & let it soak for 7 minutes( you may have to flip the jalebis to soak both the sides).  My jangiris were crisp but sweet at the same time.


Transfer the jalebis to a rack. Serve it hot / at room temperature.

Note:- You may first try to make the patterns on a plate & practise before making patterns in the oil.