Happy Diwali! Also known as the festival of light, Diwali is observed by over a billion people across the world. Diwali celebrates good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness. Not only a Hindu holiday, Diwali is observed by Jains, Sikhs & Buddhist; it is also India’s most celebrated holiday. Observed in late October through mid November depending on the lunar calendar, Diwali is a 5 day long celebration that also commemorates the return of the Hindu lord (god) Rama from his 14-year-long exile to his kingdom Ayodhya after conquering evil.
Many also recognize this as entering a New Year. The lighting of oil lamps (diays) [dee-yuhz] outside and inside homes, colorful floor decorations (rangoli), prayers (pooja) & the eating of sweets are the traditional ways of welcoming Lakshimi, goddess of good fortune, into their homes. The celebration continues by lighting up the sky with fireworks, fire lanterns, music, dance & performances in brightly colored garbs to usher in light, happiness and prosperity into the lives of its observers.
We have a recipe for you this Diwali — have you ever tried Jalebi? Our very own Kayshwar Mohan shows us some of the history behind this delicious treat. Check out Kaysh’s recipe below and follow along!
Jalebi
Dough:
- 1/2cu all-purpose flour
- 2Tbl Corn flour
- 1cu flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 1/2Tbl white Vinegar
- 1Tbl plain yogurt
- 1/2cu water
- 1/8tsp turmeric (pinch)
- 4cu vegetable fry oil (sub with ghee or mix 50/50)
Syrup:
- 1/2cu boiling water
- 1cu white sugar
- 1/4tsp saffron powder (2 threads)
- ¼tsp cardamom
Get Cooking:
Mix together the AP flour, cornstarch and turmeric. Then Mix in the yogurt, water & vinegar. Get your fry oil hot over a M/H heat. Then fold in the baking powder to the dough mix. The dough should be a runny pancake batter. Get this into a squeeze bottle.
Prep syrup: Mix all the ingredients together. Ensuring that the sugar is fully diluted. You will end up with a loose, yellow syrup. Keep this warm.
Fry and soak: squeeze the batter into the hot oil in a circular shape or pretzel shape. The key is to not have disconnected ends. Flip and fry until golden brown. Move from oil to syrup and soak until translucent.
Tip: This recipe is best served right away, warm. If you’d like to serve cold, make a thicker syrup by doubling the sugar. This will form a gooey shell.
