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Who doesn't love hot, steaming, syrupy jalebis? But did you know there are around ten kinds of jalebis available in different parts of India? Sure, there are the regular jalebis and imartis that are most commonly found in neighbourhood stores, but there are many more variants which exist in the country.
Also Read: Jalebi: All About Its Sugar Dipped History
Most of them are prepared following the same basic technique. They're made by deep frying a batter made out of maida, and are soaked in sugar syrup which results in a crystallised sugary coating. However, did you know jalebis can have many kinds of base ingredients? Here's a look through different kinds of jalebis:
Jangri
Though Jangri is often confused with Imarti, it's more popular in Southern parts of India. it's shaped like a flower and is usually made of ground urad dal or other variants of black ground dal, which makes it a healthier alternative as compared to a regular jalebi.
Mawa Jalebi
This dark brown jalebi is made the same way as jalebis, the batter here is made with mawa or khoya and it's mixed with bits of arrowroot (a starch extracted from rootstock) and deep fried in piping hot oil. It tastes similar to gulab jamun and is a popular sweet in some regions of Madhya Pradesh.
Gurer Jilipi
A popular jalebi in fairs across Bengal and also in Bangladesh, this kind of jalebi is usually made with khejur gur which is date palm jaggery. This jalebi is even sweeter than a regular jalebi, and can often be crispier too. Although it doesn't travel as well as a regular imarti or jalebi and tends to lose shape.
Aloo Jalebi
Aloo Ki Jalebi is made from potato, maida, ghee, curd, sugar and cardamom. It is lighter and crispier than a sweet jalebi and is popular in certain pockets of Uttar Pradesh.
Jaleba
Although most people think jaleba is just a big jalebi, in certain parts of India, this oversized dessert is made differently. Usually, a jaleba is a thick and king-sized jalebi that can weigh anything between 300 to 500 grams. It's fried in desi ghee and popular in Haryana. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor has a jaleba recipe that uses saffron and green cardamom to refine the taste of this dessert.
Paneer Jalebi
Though it may sound like a savoury variant, paneer jalebi is actually a dessert. It is known as chhanar jilipi in Bengal and in Orissa it's made with chhena. It's usually made with paneer (or chhena), cream, milk and lemon juice. Its texture is similar to gulab jamun's fried doughy exterior and is juicier than most jalebis and can also be more filling.
Apple Jalebi
Apple jalebi can be a great addition to your Diwali party. They're basically sweet apple fritters dipped in sugar syrup. Apple slices are seasoned with cinnamon and coated in batter to fry them in hot oil or ghee before being dipped into sugar syrup
