1 ½ cups vegetable oil (360 mL), plus more as needed
½ cup ghee (105 g)
Nutrition Info
Calories 176
Fat 14g
Carbs 10g
Fiber 0g
Sugar 5g
Protein 0g
How to Make It
1. Step
Make the spiced sugar syrup: In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 8–10 minutes, until the syrup starts to thicken slightly. (To test if the syrup has the right consistency, dip a spoon into the syrup and, after letting it cool slightly, place a droplet of the syrup between your thumb and forefinger. Pull your fingers apart very slightly; if the syrup is ready, there should be a single strand that stretches between the fingers. If not, continue cooking, checking every minute or 2, until the syrup is ready.)
2. Step
Once the syrup reaches the right consistency, stir in the saffron threads, McCormick® cardamom, and lemon juice, then remove the pot from heat and cover to keep warm until ready to use. The syrup should be very warm when using; if it cools down and over-thickens, sprinkle in a small amount of water and heat over low heat until warmed again.
3. Step
Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, corn flour, baking soda, and McCormick® turmeric. Add the yogurt, water, and lemon juice, and whisk in one direction for 4 minutes, until very smooth with a texture close to pancake batter — thick but pourable. Add more water or flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to reach the desired consistency.
4. Step
Heat the vegetable oil and ghee together in a medium heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 350–360°F(180°C). The oil level should be 2½–3 inches deep; add more vegetable oil if needed.
5. Step
Set a wire rack over paper towels.
6. Step
When ready to fry, test the oil temperature by transferring 2 tablespoons of batter to a squeeze bottle and squeezing into the hot oil in a spiral pattern. The batter should start bubbling and rise to the surface immediately, without browning. If the jalebi appears thin and stringy, the batter is too thin. If it browns immediately, the oil is too hot. The batter should puff slightly and brown over the course of 1–2 minutes. Adjust the oil temperature and batter as needed, then transfer the rest of the batter to the squeeze bottle.
7. Step
Make the jalebi: Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, squeeze 3 to 4 tablespoons of the batter at a time into the hot oil in spiral shapes, starting from the center and going outward to 3–4 inches in diameter. Cook for 45–60 seconds per side, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside and cooked through and soft on the inside. Gently remove the jalebi from the hot oil with a slotted spoon, letting the excess oil drip off, then immediately dunk in the warm sugar syrup. Let soak for 1 minute on each side, then transfer to the wire rack and let rest for 2 minutes, or until ready to serve.
