MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Jalebi (Indian Funnel Cakes)
Categories: Desserts, Indian
Yield: 20 Jalebis

MMMMM---------------------------JALEBI--------------------------------
1 c Maida (all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 tb Corn starch
1 1/2 tb Besan (fine ground gram
- flour)
1 ts Yeast
1 1/2 tb Ghee or oil; melted
2 tb Whole milk plain yogurt;
- room temperature
- (optional)
1/8 ts Saffron powder
1 dr Orange food color;
- up to 2 dr (optional)
1/4 c Water; up to 1/3 c,
- lukewarm
2 tb Water; up to 3 tb, warm,
- for dissolving yeast
Vegetable oil; for frying
1 tb Ghee; up to 2 tb; (optional)

MMMMM------------------------SUGAR SYRUP-----------------------------
1 1/2 c Granulated sugar
1 c Water
1 Green cardamom pods;
- up to 2; cracked open -OR-
1/4 ts Green cardamom powder
1/4 ts Saffron threads
1 ts Fresh lemon juice

MMMMM--------------------OPTIONAL FLAVORINGS-------------------------
Rose water
Kewra (screwpine water)

In a small bowl, add of scant pinch of sugar and 2 to 3 tb of warm
water, dissolve yeast and let sit for 5 to 8 minutes. Let the yeast
bloom. You should see froth on top. If the yeast does not bloom,
discard and start the batch again.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift the maida, besan, and corn starch.
Add the saffron powder. Using your finger, lightly mix the ghee and
yogurt with the flour. Add the bloomed yeast mix, orange food color,
and slowly add luke warm water to make a smooth, lump-free batter. Be
doubly sure that the batter has no lumps, it is a very important
step. Add the water a little at a time and incorporate. The
consistency should be like a thick pancake batter. Cover the bowl
with a cling film and set aside in a warm place to ferment for 2 to 3
hours. The batter will ferment quickly, about 1 to 2 hours during
summer months but could take longer during winters. Do not disturb it
during fermenting.

10 to 15 minutes before you are ready to fry the jalebis, in a
medium, wide pot, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Once the sugar
syrup is boiling, reduce the heat, add the cardamom and let simmer
for 7 to 8 minutes so that the syrup thickens up a bit. We are not
looking for any string consistency here but if you take a tiny drop
of syrup in between your thumb and pointer finger, it should feel
sticky and not watery. Once the sugar has simmered and thickened, add
lemon juice, stir and put off the heat. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes and
then if you are using saffron or cardamom powder or any other
flavorings, add it to the sugar syrup. Let sit near to where you will
fry up the jalebis.

Use the widest pot or wok or pan that you have in your kitchen to fry
the jalebis. I use my 12" skillet. Pour 1 to 2" oil in it and let
heat up on medium heat.

At the end of 2 hours, the fermented batter will not exactly double
up in volume but you would see that it is much more light and fluffy
than what we started with. Once fermented, do not mix the batter
much. We want it to remain airy and fluffy. Just cut and fold once or
twice using a spatula, just the way we handle cake frosting, and pour
it into a squeezable bottle with nozzle. Try to squeeze the batter
out of the nozzle, it should come out like a tooth paste from a tube.
See notes for other ways of checking batter consistency. If you feel
that the batter is thick, add a little water for the right
consistency or if the batter is thin add a 2 tb flour and mix gently
so that there are no lumps.

To test the right temperature of oil, drop a small quantity batter in
the oil, it should come up sizzling to the top but without changing
color. If batter changes color, reduce heat and let the oil
temperature reduce a bit.

Squeeze the batterout of the nozzle, applying constant pressure and
making 3 to 4 concentric circles in the oil and sealing them in the
middle. Work from outside towards inside. It takes time and
experience to get proper shape and it gets better and better batch
after batch. Do not fry more than 4 to 5 jalebis in a batch. Once you
have piped the jalebis in hot oil, in 2 to 3 seconds they will come
floating up, flip and let turn golden on the other side too. Once
golden, take out of from the hot oil, tilting the spider or frying
spoon so that excess oil is drained.

continued in part 2

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