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Jalebi is a fried
sweet made from maida flour, commonly prepared in India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Jalebi is thought to have
originated in the north of India, probably in the state of
Punjab.
The Persian word for Jalebi is "Zoolbiah". It is made by
deep-fried, syrup-soaked batter and shaped into a pretzel
shape, rather like the American funnel cake.
Jalebis are bright orange or yellow in colour, but are also
available in white.
It can be served warm or cold. It is somewhat chewy texture
with a crystallized sugary exterior coating. The sugars get
partly fermented which is thought to add flavour to the
dish.
It is derived from jangiri. A similar sweet is "Emarti",
which is red-orange in colour and sweeter in taste, made in
Uttar Pradesh. Jalebis in Orissa are also sometimes made of
chhena.
Jalebi is one of the most popular sweets in India and is
served as the Celebration Sweet of India especially during
the national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day
in the government offices, defence and other organisations.
Jalebi is similar to the sweet referred to as "Zangoola",
popular in the middle east. |