Fermented Indian Food
FERMENTED FOOD
JALEBI
HISTORY
The oldest reference of jalebi was cited in 13th century in a cookbook written by Muhammad Bin Hasan from Iran. In Iran, this sweet was traditionally prepared on the occasion of Ramadan to distribute among the poor. At that time it was known as ‘Zlebia’, but later the name become ‘jalebi’ as most Indian languages replace ‘z’ by ‘j’. In context of Indian cuisine, the reference of the sweet was first seen in ‘Priyamkarnrpakatha’. It is a Jain work composed in 1450 AD. So it can be assumed that the relation of this sweet with Indian Subcontinent is almost 500 years old.
INTRODUCTION Jalebi is the name for deep-fried treats, a little bit similar to funnel cakes, but smaller and different in flavor. These treats are made primarily in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Depending on the region you are visiting, Jalebi can be called by its Persian name, zoolbia or zoolbiah. Another name for the treat is jaangiri, and the principle difference here is that jaangiri is considered a type of jalebi that is made with slightly different ingredients and served with different sauces. During fermentation pH (the acidity) of the batter decreases from 4.4 to 3.3, but so does nitrogen and free sugar. The main bacteria involved are Lactobaccillus fermentum, L. buchneri, Streptococcus lactis, S faecalis.
METHOD OF PREPARATION Typical jalebi is made with a type of wheat flour called maida flour. This is fine ground flour which can be substituted with pastry flour in the US. Saffron is key to preparing jalebi to get the yellow or orange color of each treat. Yogurt, water, and baking powder are the other primary ingredients for the batter, which when combined is allowed to sit for a few hours in order to ferment slightly. The batter is then piped in concentric circles into hot oil to produce a crispy and slightly chewy result. For standard jalebi, after the treats have been removed from the oil, or sometimes ghee, they are soaked in sugar syrup. The
JALEBI
HISTORY
The oldest reference of jalebi was cited in 13th century in a cookbook written by Muhammad Bin Hasan from Iran. In Iran, this sweet was traditionally prepared on the occasion of Ramadan to distribute among the poor. At that time it was known as ‘Zlebia’, but later the name become ‘jalebi’ as most Indian languages replace ‘z’ by ‘j’. In context of Indian cuisine, the reference of the sweet was first seen in ‘Priyamkarnrpakatha’. It is a Jain work composed in 1450 AD. So it can be assumed that the relation of this sweet with Indian Subcontinent is almost 500 years old.
INTRODUCTION Jalebi is the name for deep-fried treats, a little bit similar to funnel cakes, but smaller and different in flavor. These treats are made primarily in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Depending on the region you are visiting, Jalebi can be called by its Persian name, zoolbia or zoolbiah. Another name for the treat is jaangiri, and the principle difference here is that jaangiri is considered a type of jalebi that is made with slightly different ingredients and served with different sauces. During fermentation pH (the acidity) of the batter decreases from 4.4 to 3.3, but so does nitrogen and free sugar. The main bacteria involved are Lactobaccillus fermentum, L. buchneri, Streptococcus lactis, S faecalis.
METHOD OF PREPARATION Typical jalebi is made with a type of wheat flour called maida flour. This is fine ground flour which can be substituted with pastry flour in the US. Saffron is key to preparing jalebi to get the yellow or orange color of each treat. Yogurt, water, and baking powder are the other primary ingredients for the batter, which when combined is allowed to sit for a few hours in order to ferment slightly. The batter is then piped in concentric circles into hot oil to produce a crispy and slightly chewy result. For standard jalebi, after the treats have been removed from the oil, or sometimes ghee, they are soaked in sugar syrup. The