Jalebi, also known as Zulbia, is a sweet popular in countries of South Asia, West Asia, North Africa, and East Africa. It 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. They are particularly popular in the Indian subcontinent.
The sweets are served warm or cold. They have a somewhat chewy texture with a crystallized sugary exterior coating. Citric acid or lime juice is sometimes added to the syrup, as well as rose water. Jalebi is eaten with curd, rabri (North India) along with optional other flavours such as kewra (scented water).
This dish is not to be confused with similar sweets and variants like imarti and chhena jalebi.
In Iran it is known as zulabia in Persian and in addition to being sweetened with honey and sugar is also flavored with saffron and rose water.
In the Levant and other Middle Eastern countries, it is known as “zalabia” (sometimes spelt “zalabiya”). In the Maldives, it is known by the name “zilēbi”.
This sweet is called “jeri” in Nepal, a word derived from Jangiri and the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
In Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, this sweet is known as zlebia or zlabia.
Alo Japan.