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After nine days of utmost happiness and celebration during Navratri, comes the day that marks the victory of good over evil. We are talking about Dussehra also called Vijayadashami. On this day, Lord Rama killed demon king Ravana and rescued his wife, Goddess Sita. The trio, Lord Rama, Mata Sita, and Laxman then returned to abode after completing their 14 years of exile. On Dussehra, devotees form big effigies of Ravana and burn them while marking the victory of truth.
Just like any other festival, Dussehra too is one of the most prominent festivals celebrated with great pomp and fervour in India. And yes, this festival too calls for some amazing sweets. Among the many sweets enjoyed during Dussehra, Jalebi holds a special place. But, have you ever wondered why? Well, there is a mythological as well as scientific relevance behind the same. As per legends, a lot of people fast during Dussehra, and as per Hindu scriptures, they must eat a sweet made up of gram flour in such a case.
It needs to be mentioned here that Jalebi is made with a batter of all-purpose flour, gram flour, baking soda, and water. It is shaped in the form of a spiral, fried, and then dipped in sugar syrup. It is also believed that Jalebi was Lord Rama’s favourite. Some legends say that Lord Rama loved this sweet so much that Lord Hanuman used to make this dish for his beloved Rama. If some experts are to be believed, Jalebi was referred to as Shashkuli. However, there are no absolute claims regarding the same. Do you want to make Jalebi at home this Dussehra? Have a look at the recipe below!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour or maida
- 2 cups hung curd
- 1/2 cup clarified ghee
- 3 cups sugar
- 5 strands of saffron
- 1/2 tsp powdered green cardamom
- 1/2 cup corn flour
- 1 1/2 pinch baking soda
- 2 cups sunflower oil
- 3 cups water
- 4 drops of rose essence
- 1/2 tsp edible food colour
Method
- To make the jalebi batter, combine all-purpose flour, cornflour, and baking soda in a bowl.
- Add ghee and food colour to the mixture and mix well.
- Now, add hung curd and water to make a thick batter. Mix well until it is thick but has a slightly flowing consistency.
- Keep it aside for at least 8 to 10 hours to ferment properly. The fermentation step gives a sour taste to Jalebi.
- For sugar syrup, heat water in a pan over medium flame. Add sugar and mix until it is fully dissolved.
- Now, simmer the syrup until it attains one-string consistency. Then, add saffron, rose essence, and cardamom powder to it. Stir well to prepare the final sugar syrup.
