Jalebi is a common sweet snack in the Indian subcontinent, West Asia and some parts of Africa. It goes by many names, including jilapi, zelepi, jilebi, jilipi, zulbia, zoolbia, jerry, mushabak, z'labia, or zalabia.
The south Asian variety is made by Deep frying maida flour (plain flour or all-purpose flour) batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. Jalebi is eaten with curd or rabri (in North India) along with optional other flavors such as kewra (pandanus flower essence).
In some west Asian cuisines, jalebi may consist of yeast dough fried and then dipped in a syrup of honey and rose water. North African zalabia uses a different batter and a syrup of honey (Arabic: ʻasal) and rose water.[, ch. Zalabiya Fritters (Sweet Crullers)]
History
The earliest known recipe of this food comes from the 10th century in the Arabic cookbook
Kitab al-Tabikh (English: The Book of Dishes) by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq.
In the 13th century Abbasid Caliphate, a cookbook by Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi mentioned a similar dish.
as described by Ibn Sayyar, are latticed
made in discs, balls and squares. They are dipped in clarified honey perfumed with rose water,
musk and
camphor. A recipe from a caliph's kitchen suggests milk,
clarified butter, sugar and
Black pepper to be added.
is a "sponge cake" version cooked in a special round pot on a trivet and cooked in a
tannur.
[Translated by Nawal Nasrallah Annals of the caliphs' kitchens: Ibn Sayyār al-Warrāq's tenth-century Baghdadi cookbook Volume 70 of Islamic history and civilization Edition illustrated 2007 . 867 pages BRILL page 413-417]
According to the Hobson-Jobson (1903) historical dictionary, the word jalebi is derived from the Arabic word zulabiya, or the Persian language zolbiya.
Priyamkara-nrpa-katha, a work by the Jain author Jinasura, composed around 1450 CE, mentions jalebi in the context of a dinner held by a rich merchant.
It has been suggested that the American funnel cake is derived from the Arab and Persian cuisine, brought by German emigrants and called Drechterkuche.
Regional varieties
Central Asia
Afghanistan
In
Afghanistan, Jalebi is a popular dessert. There are some slight differences between Afghan Jalebi and other variants. The Afghan Jalebi does not use any food coloring in contrast to the Indian and Pakistani variants and so is usually yellow and not orange in color. The Afghan Jalebi is also thinner.
It is a popular dessert that is commonly consumed in households and at public events such as weddings or festivals. Jalebi is oftentimes served with green tea. There is also a popular song from the Bollywood film Phantom named Afghan Jalebi.
Indian subcontinent
India
Jalebi made from
khoya or mawa, was invented by Harprasad Badkul, in the year 1889, in
Jabalpur.
In Norman Chevers book, A Manual of Medical Jurisprudence for India (1870, page 178) mentions "jelabees" as a historical way of poisoning prisoners in India in the 1800s.
Pakistan
In
Pakistan, jalebis are a popular dessert that are commonly consumed in households and in public events such as weddings or festivals. Particularly during winter season, used as commonly paired with warm milk as a breakfast option. Also consumed as a snack with evening tea, or sometimes served alongside savory items like
and other sweets such as
gulab jamun, offering a combination of flavors.
Nepal
In
Nepal, it is known as
Jerry, a word derived from
Jangiri and the
Mughal Empire Jahangir.
People usually eat
Jerry with
Swari, a very thin fried bread like Puri (food). It is often eaten in morning with Nepali
Masala chai.
West Asia
Iran
It is known as
(زولبیا) in
Iran, although when translated into English, the spelling has alternatives and can include , , , , and others. In addition to being sweetened with
honey and sugar, zoolbias in Iran is also flavoured with
saffron or
rose water.
Often in Iran, zoolbia is served with Persian-style black tea alongside a similar dessert with a different "egg" shape,
bamiyeh.
These desserts are commonly served during Ramadan month as one of the main elements eaten after fasting.
In Iran, where it is known as zolbiya, the sweet was traditionally given to the poor during Ramadan. A 10th century cookbook gives several recipes for zulubiya. There are several surviving 13th century recipes for the sweetmeat, the most widely accepted being that mentioned in a cookbook by Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi.
Azerbaijan
Zulbiya or
zilviya is one of the unique sweets of Ganja, one of the ancient cities of
Azerbaijan. In the past, Zilviya was considered one of the main attributes of the Novruz in Ganja. Zilviya was usually cooked a few days before
Novruz and served on the eve of the holiday. Just as each of the sweets and cookies placed on the table on the eve of holiday has a certain meaning in connection with Novruz, the round-shaped zilviyas, mostly baked in yellow and red, symbolized the equality of night and day on 21 March.
Arab countries
Zalābiya or
zalabia,
zalabiya (زلابية) (
Maghrebi Arabic:
زلابية) are found in the
Levant and other West Asian countries, including the
Arab World countries of
Yemen,
Egypt,
and
Iraq.
These are Frying dough foods, including types similar to .
Zalābiyeh is first mentioned in a 10th-century Arabic cookbook by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq, a book later translated by Nawal Nasrallah.
Africa
North Africa
Zlebia or
zlabia is a type of pastry eaten in parts of Northwest Africa, such as
Algeria,
Tunisia and
Libya. Natural ingredients include flour, yeast, yoghurt, and sugar or honey. This is then mixed with water and commonly two seeds of
cardamom (oil for the crackling).
In Tunisia, the Zlabia is known to be a speciality of the city of Beja.
Ethiopia
Mushabak or
Mushabaka is a popular food mainly in the Oromo region. It comes in different shapes and sizes and is usually bathed with sugar syrup or honey.
Mushabaka is normally baked red. It is often served at celebrations and other social events.
Mauritius
In
Mauritius, jalebi are known as "Gateau Moutaille"; they are of Indian origin.
Recipe variations
They are often stick shaped. They are eaten year-round, including in expatriate communities such as in France, although they are especially popular during [[Ramadan]] celebrations.[Hadi Yahmid [http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1189959276075&pagename=Zone-English-News%2FNWELayout French Ramadan About Solidarity] IslamOnline]
File:Jalebi, sweet food at Wikipedia's 16th Birthday celebration in Chittagong (01).jpg|
Jilapi in Bangladesh, generally consumed as a sweetmeat, is a popular starter at social events.
File:Jilapi1.JPG|
Shahi jilapi, meaning
King's jilapi, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
It is the largest form of the dessert.
File:Zoolbia Bamieh.JPG|
Zulbiā and
bamiyeh in Iran
File:Jalebi-Rabdi.jpg|Jalebi dipped in
rabri
In popular culture
-
"Jalebi Baby" by Tesher: This song, which blends English and Punjabi lyrics, became a viral sensation globally, especially on platforms like TikTok. The song uses jalebi as a metaphor for something sweet and desirable. The collaboration with Jason Derulo further popularized the song, making it a crossover hit in both South Asian and Western markets.
-
"Jalebi Bai" from the movie Double Dhamaal: This Bollywood song became a hit item number where jalebi is used metaphorically to describe an attractive and alluring woman. The song's catchy tune and vibrant performance contributed to its widespread popularity in Indian cinema.
-
"Afghan Jalebi" from the movie Phantom This Bollywood song.
-
In the film Lion, the main character Saroo remembers his lost home when he eats jalebis.
See also
