Crispy Diwali Jalebi

Name: Crispy Diwali Jalebi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup maida (plain flour); 2 tbsp cornflour; 1 tbsp besan (gram flour (helps crispness)); 0.5 cup curd (thick/plain yoghurt, at room temperature); 0.5 tsp baking powder; 0 pinch baking soda; 0 pinch saffron-orange food colour (or turmeric); 0.5 cup water (approximate); 1.5 cups sugar (for the sugar syrup); 1 cup water (for the sugar syrup); 4 pieces green cardamom pods (lightly crushed); 0 strands saffron (few strands for sugar syrup); 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp rose water (or kewra water); 0 for deep frying ghee (or neutral oil); 0 for serving crushed pistachios; 0 for serving dried rose petals

by katplaystennis • 2026

Why some badges are missing

Not vegan: curd
Not gluten-free: baking powder
Not dairy-free: curd
Not nut-free: crushed pistachios → try toasted sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds for crunch)
Not low-FODMAP: baking powder
Not low-histamine: saffron-orange food colour
Not low-GI / diabetic-friendly: sugar → try granulated sweetener (such as erythritol)
Not kidney-friendly: baking powder

Based on listed ingredients — always check labels for allergies.

Prep

20m

Cook

25m

Rest

15m

Serves

Rating

—

Total time · 45m

Ingredients

Kitchen Help

Shopping list

1 cup maida — plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp besan — gram flour (helps crispness)
0.5 cup curd — thick/plain yoghurt, at room temperature
0.5 tsp baking powder
baking soda
saffron-orange food colour — or turmeric
0.5 cup water — approximate
1.5 cups sugar — for the sugar syrup
1 cup water — for the sugar syrup
4 pieces green cardamom pods — lightly crushed
saffron — few strands for sugar syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp rose water — or kewra water
ghee — or neutral oil
crushed pistachios
dried rose petals

Tools

· pan
· squeeze bottle
· piping bag
· ziplock bag
· tongs

Instructions

Step by step

1
Make the syrup first: Heat sugar, water, cardamom and saffron in a pan until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5- until it reaches one-string consistency, it should feel sticky between your fingers but not too thick. Stir in lemon juice and rose water. Keep warm on very low heat.
2
Make the batter next: Whisk maida, cornflour, besan, curd, baking powder, baking soda and colour together. Add water little by little until you get a smooth, thick batter like pancake batter. It should ribbon off the spoon. Rest for . It will thicken slightly, loosen with 1 tbsp water if needed.
3
Pour batter into a squeeze bottle, piping bag with a small round nozzle, or a sturdy ziplock bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
4
Heat ghee/oil on medium heat to about 175°C. It should be hot but not smoking. Pipe spirals directly into the oil, starting from the centre and moving outwards in 2-3 circles. Work quickly and confidently. Fry 1- per side until golden and crisp. Use tongs to flip gently.
5
Lift straight from the oil and drop into the warm syrup. Soak for just 30-40 seconds. Any longer and they go soft. Lift out, let excess syrup drip off, and place on a plate.
6
Garnish with pistachios and rose petals. Serve warm.