Kesari Jalebi

Ingredients

• Maida (refined flour) 1/2 cup (60 g)
• Dahi  (yogurt) preferably sour 1/4 cup (50 g)
• Ghee/Oil for deep frying
• A square piece of cloth with a hole in it, or a strong plastic bag for piping out the 'jalebis'
• Syrup:
• Sugar 1 cup (240 g)
• Water 1 cup (240 g)
• Kesar (Saffron) ¼ tsp

Preparation

• Mix the flour and dahi to form a thick smooth paste (dropping consistency), adding water if necessary and leave to ferment 6-7 hours (time depending on the weather).

• When the batter is ready it should be spongy and have suggestions of bubbles on the surface.

• Make the sugar syrup by dissolving sugar and saffron in the water, over low heat, then cook over high heat till slightly thick--- when lifted with a spoon and poured back into the pan, it falls in a thin smooth stream, or when a drop of it is cooled a little, press it between your thumb and forefinger and then pull the fingers apart, a suggestion of a thread should be formed. Keep warm, till you fry the 'jalebis'.

• Take a shallow, heavy pan and heat the ghee/oil till a drop of batter dropped in, comes up at once. Fill the bag with the batter. Twist the opening to seal the bag. Snip one lower corner of the bag to make a small hole, through which you can pipe out the `jalebis'--The smaller the hole, the thinner the jalebis.

• Hold the bag over the hot fat and pipe out swirls (like whirlpools), of the desired size, straight into it. Make as many such rounds as come in comfortably without touching each other. Lower the heat to medium and turn the 'jalebis' over and fry till a light brown on both sides.

• Lift out the fried jalebis, drain out the fat and put them into the syrup leave thus for a minute or so, and lift out again and serve.