Instant fafda and jalebi are a delightful combination of crispy, savory and sweet treats in India, especially in the state of Gujarat. It is easy to make at home, yet it tastes like it came from your favorite street shop. Fafda is loved for its crispiness and unique flavor of gram flour (besan) and spices whereas jalebi is known for its crispy, twisted or coil-like shape and its sweet, syrupy flavor. They are often served as a delicious snack during festivals like Diwali and as a special treat on weekends.
Fafda:
Fafda is a popular street food in Gujarat and is also enjoyed in other parts of India. It’s a favorite choice for breakfast or as an evening snack.
Fafda is primarily made from besan (gram flour), rice flour, and various spices. The dough is roll into cylendrical shape and flattened upwards using the base of your palm into thin strips, deep-fried until crisp, and typically coated with ajwain (carom seeds), turmeric, and sometimes red chili powder. Fafda is known for its crispy and crunchy texture, making it a perfect accompaniment to sweet jalebi.
Jalebi is known for its crispy, twisted or coil-like shape and its sweet, syrupy flavor. Jalebis can be served during various Indian festivals and celebrations, including Diwali, Holi, Eid, and weddings.
This sweet-salty combination is traditionally served during Dussehra as a breakfast and is a most favorite street food in Gujarat. You can find Fafda Jalebi combination with Jalebi in every street corner of Ahmedabad.
Jalebi:
Jalebi is a sweet dessert that has its origins in the Indian subcontinent. It’s been a part of Indian cuisine for centuries and has variations in different regions.
Jalebi is made from all-purpose flour and besan (gram flour). The batter is fermented for a few hours or overnight, giving jalebi its distinct tangy flavor. It’s deep-fried in circular shapes and soaked in sugar syrup.
Jalebi has a unique texture, combining a crispy exterior with a soft, syrup-soaked interior. It’s known for its bright orange or yellow color and its perfect spiral shape.
Jalebi is typically served hot, and it’s often garnished with slivers of pistachios or saffron strands for added flavor and appeal.
Jalebi is beloved throughout India and is commonly prepared for festivals like Diwali and Holi. It’s also a favorite dessert at weddings and special occasions.
Instant Fafda and Jalebi:
The “instant” versions of fafda and jalebi are madefor convenience and can be prepared relatively quickly compared to traditional recipes.
These snacks are often enjoyed together, with the savory and slightly spicy fafda complementing the sweetness of the jalebi.
The instant versions are perfect for those who want to enjoy the authentic flavors of these snacks without the lengthy fermentation process for jalebi or the complex preparation of fafda.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve hot fafda and jalebi together as a delicious snack or breakfast.
You can serve it also with green chutney or tamarind chutney for a flavorful dip. It adds a savory contrast to the sweetness of jalebi.
Fafda can also be enjoyed with a glass of masala chai or hot milk.
In Gujarat, It is often served with besan kadhi and raw papaya chutney known as Sambharo.
Variations:
These traditional Gujarati fafda is delicious on its own, you can also experiment with variations to add different flavors and textures. Here I’m sharing some variations for fafda and jalebi:
For Fafda
You can add sesame seeds or crushed black pepper to the fafda dough for additional flavor and texture.
Add dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the besan dough for a unique and slightly bitter flavor.
You can add garlic to the besan dough for a garlicy flavor to the traditional recipe.
You can also make multigrain fafda. Mix besan with other flours like wheat flour, rice flour, or millet flour to create a multigrain fafda for added nutrition and a different texture.
For Jalebi
Some jalebi recipes use yeast to speed up the fermentation process. A small amount of yeast is added to the batter, allowing it to rise for a few hours before frying.
Instead of using all-purpose flour, you can make jalebi using a batter that includes semolina (rava). This variation gives the jalebi a slightly different texture.
Using rice flour instead of all-purpose flour can result in crispy jalebi with a different texture. This version doesn’t require fermentation.
Experiment with food coloring to create jalebi in various colors, such as pink, green, or blue. This is especially fun for special occasions and celebrations.
Thus, instant fafda and jalebi are a delightful combination of savory and sweet flavors that represent the rich culinary heritage of India. Whether you’re enjoying them as a snack, during festivals, or as a special treat, they are sure to satisfy your taste buds with their contrasting textures and flavors.
Do give this a try and enjoy this popular snack with your loved ones…Here, i’am sharing Instant fafda jalebi recipe how easily you can prepare it at home:
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Instant Fafda Jalebi Recipe
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Description
Instant fafda and jalebi are a delightful combination of crispy, savory and sweet treats in India, especially in the state of Gujarat. Fafda is loved for its crispiness and unique flavour of gram flour (besan) and spices whereas jalebi is known for its crispy, twisted or coil-like shape and its sweet, syrupy flavour. They are often enjoyed as a delicious snack or breakfast during festivals like Diwali and as a special treat on weekends. Here, i’am sharing Instant fafda jalebi recipe how easily you can prepare it at home:
Ingredients
For making Fafda:
- 2 cups gram flour (besan), sieved
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Water (approx ½ to ¾ cup) for kneading the dough
- Oil for deep frying
For the Jalebi Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- ½ cup yogurt (curd)
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of yellow food colour
- Water as required
- Ghee or oil for frying
For Sugar Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- A few saffron strands (optional)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Garnish with:
- Chopped almonds
- Rose petals
- Silver vark
Serve With:
-
Fried green chilies
-
Jalebi
-
Green chutney (optional)
Instructions
For making Fafda:
- In a mixing bowl or parat, sieve the gram flour.
- Add carom seeds, turmeric powder, salt (as per your taste), baking soda and 1 tablespoon oil.
- Now, gradually add water to the mixture and knead it into a smooth, firm dough. The dough should be neither too soft nor too hard.
- Knead it till you get a semi soft dough.
- Then divide the dough into small balls and roll each ball into a thin cylindrical shape on a wooden board by spreading oil very lightly.
- Roll each ball into a thin, long strip on a greased surface. You can use a rolling pin to help with this or using the base of the palm spread the dough upwards to flatten it out.
- Then remove the fafda strip using a knife .
- Similarly make other fafda strips this way with the remaining dough balls. Cover with a kitchen napkin so that they do not become dry.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, gently slide the prepared fafdas into the hot oil one by one. Fry them in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Depending on the size of the kadai, you can fry 3 to 4 fafdas at a time.
- Fry the fafdas until they turn golden brown and crisp. This will take about 5-6 minutes per batch.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried fafdas from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Serve the hot and crispy fafdas with jalebi and fried green chilies. This makes for a perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors.
For Jalebi Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt well.
- Add all-purpose flour, pinch of salt, pinch of yellow food colour,
- Mix well.
- Add little water to form a smooth batter. If the batter is too thick, add water gradually until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup.
For Sugar Syrup:
- In a saucepan or kadhai, combine sugar and water. Stir well and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Once the sugar dissolves, add cardamom powder. Stir to mix.
- Let the syrup simmer for about 5-7 minutes until it reaches a one-string consistency. To check the consistency, take a small drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger; if it forms a single thread, the syrup is ready.
- Once the syrup reaches the desired consistency, add lemon juice to prevent crystallization. Keep it warm on low heat.
Frying the Jalebi:
- Heat oil or ghee in a deep frying pan or a kadai over medium heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
- Fill the jalebi batter in a plastic zip-lock bag with a small hole cut in one corner or fill it into a squeeze bottle or a piping bag with a small nozzle.
- Squeeze the batter in a circular motion into the hot oil to form spirals or coils. You can make them as small or as large as you like.
- Fry the jalebis until they are golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally for even cooking. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove the fried jalebis using a slotted spoon and immediately dip them into the warm sugar syrup. Let them soak for a minute, ensuring they are well coated with syrup.
- Serve hot with fafda and fried green chilli.
Notes
Here I’m sharing some tips to make perfect fafda jalebi at home.
For Fafda
- The dough should be smooth, firm, and not too sticky. Adjust the water quantity gradually to achieve the right texture.
- Knead the dough thoroughly until it’s smooth to develop gluten which make the fafdas crispy.
- Using your palms, press and flatten the dough ball evenly into a thin cylindrical shape. Make sure they are of even thickness throughout. This ensures even frying.
- Ensure that the oil is hot enough before frying. If the oil is not hot, the fafdas may absorb too much oil and become soggy. You can test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough into it. If It sizzle and rises to the surface then the oil is ready to fry the fafdas.
- Fry the fafdas in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Crowding can lower the oil temperature and lead to uneven frying.
- Keep an eye on the fafdas while frying. Fry them till they turn golden brown color and become crisp. Avoid overcooking, as they can become too hard.
- After frying, place the fafdas on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. This helps keep them crisp and less oily.
- Additionally, you can add red chilli powder while kneading the dough to customize the spiciness of fafdas.
For Jalebi
- The key to making perfect jalebis is getting the sugar syrup to the right consistency. Use the one-string test to check.
- If you don’t have a plastic zip-lock bag, use a squeeze bottle or piping bag, with a small hole cut in one corner.
- Adjust the sweetness of the syrup to your preference. You can add more or less sugar as desired. Do not dip the jalebis into the sugar syrup for long.
- Be cautious while making jalebi shapes; it may take a little practice.
- Ensure the oil or ghee is hot enough for frying to get crispy and non-oily results.
- Additionally, add saffron strands to the batter for colour and flavour and even you can add few saffron strings in the sugar syrup. Mix well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Dessert
- Cuisine: Gujarati
