Jalebi[a] is a popular sweet snack in theIndian subcontinent, West Asia and some parts of Africa. It goes by many names, includingjilapi,zelepi, jilebi, jilipi,zulbia,zoolbia,jerry,mushabak,z'labia, orzalabia.
In somewest Asian cuisines, jalebi may consist of a yeast dough fried and then dipped in a syrup of honey and rose water.[citation needed] The North African dish ofZalabia uses a different batter and a syrup of honey (Arabic:ʻasal) and rose water.[5]
According to theHobson-Jobson (1903) historical dictionary, the wordjalebi is derived from the Arabic word zulabiya, or thePersian zolbiya.[7][1]
Priyamkara-nrpa-katha, a work by the Jain author Jinasura, composed around 1450 CE, mentions jalebi in the context of a dinner held by a rich merchant.[1]Gunyagunabodhini, anotherSanskrit work dating before 1600 CE, lists the ingredients and recipe of the dish; these are identical to the ones used to prepare the modern jalebi.[8] According to the Indian ambassador Nagma Malik, jalebi might have started life inTurkey and then arrived inTunisia long ago before making its way to India.[9] Others claim that it was created by a musician during the reign of the Abbasid caliphHarun al-Rashid, Abdourrahman Ibnou Nafaâ Ziriab, who made a prolonged stop over in Tunisia while traveling fromBaghdad toAndalusia.[10]
It has been suggested that the Americanfunnel cake is derived from the Arab and Persian cuisine, brought by German emigrants and calledDrechterkuche.[3]
InAfghanistan, Jalebi is a popular dessert. There is some slight differences between Afghan Jalebi and other variants. The Afghan Jalebi does not use any food coloring in contrast to the Indian and Pakistani variants and so is usually yellow and not orange in color. The Afghan Jalebi is also thinner. It is a popular dessert that is commonly consumed in households and in public events such as weddings or festivals. Jalebi is oftentimes served with green tea. There is also a popular song from Bollywood filmPhantom named Afghan Jaleb[11] i.[12]
InNorman Chevers book,A Manual of Medical Jurisprudence for India (1870, page 178) mentions "jelabees" as a historical way of poisoning prisoners in India in the 1800s.[7]
It is known aszoolbia[20] (زولبیا) inIran, although when translated into English, the spelling has alternatives and can includezolbiya,zulbiā,zulbia,zolbia, and others. In addition to being sweetened withhoney and sugar, zoolbias in Iran is also flavoured withsaffron orrose water.[20][21] Often in Iran, zoolbia is served with Persian-style black tea alongside a similar dessert with a different "egg" shape,bamiyeh.[22] These desserts are commonly served duringRamadan month as one of the main elements eaten after fasting.
InIran, where it is known aszolbiya, the sweet was traditionally given to the poor duringRamadan. A 10th century cookbook gives several recipes forzulubiya. There are several surviving 13th century recipes for the sweetmeat, the most widely accepted being that mentioned in a cookbook byMuhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi.[1]
Zulbiya orzilviya is one of the unique sweets ofGanja, one of the ancient cities ofAzerbaijan. In the past, Zilviya was considered one of the main attributes of the Novruz in Ganja. Zilviya was usually cooked a few days beforeNovruz and served on the eve of the holiday. Just as each of the sweets and cookies placed on the table on the eve of holiday has a certain meaning in connection with Novruz, the round-shaped zilviyas, mostly baked in yellow and red, symbolized the equality of night and day on 21 March.
These arefrieddough foods, including types similar todoughnuts.[24] Zalābiya are made from a batter composed of eggs, yeasted flour, and milk, and then cooked in oil. They are made by azalbāni. Unlikejalebi, the Western Asian variety may have a different shape, more like a free-form doughnut or a ball (but this is depending on the exact region and culture), and it may contain cinnamon, lemon, and powdered sugar.[24][25] InYemen, the manner of preparing thezalabiyeh differed from the variety ofjalebi made in the Indian sub-continent, insofar that the Indian variety was dipped in syrup,[1] to give to it a glaze-like finish, whereas the Yemeni variety ofzalabiyeh was "made from a soft yeast bread [and] which is fried on both sides in deep oil. There are those who add to the doughblack cumin for improved taste. They are eaten while they are still hot, while some have it as a practice to eat them with honey or with sugar."[26]
Zalābiyeh is first mentioned in a 10th-century Arabic cookbook byIbn Sayyar al-Warraq, a book later translated byNawal Nasrallah.[27][28] Ernest A Hamwi, a Syrian immigrant to the United States, is believed to have used the Persian versionzalabia as an earlyice cream cone.[1]: 404
Zlebia orzlabia is a type of pastry eaten in parts of Northwest Africa, such asAlgeria,Tunisia andLibya. Natural ingredients include flour, yeast, yoghurt, and sugar or honey. This is then mixed with water and commonly two seeds ofcardamom (oil for the crackling).
In Tunisia, the Zlabia is known to be a speciality of the city ofBeja.[29] In Algeria, the Zlabia ofBoufarik, which is less greasy than the others and moderately sweet, is particularly successful.[30]
Mushabak orMushabaka is a popular food mainly in the Oromo region. It comes in different shapes and sizes and is usually bathed with sugar syrup or honey.Mushabaka is normally baked red. It is often served at celebrations and other social events.[citation needed]
Zalābiya funiyya is a "sponge cake" version cooked in a special round pot on a trivet and cooked in atannur.[32] They are often stick shaped. They are eaten year-round, including in expatriate communities such as in France, although they are especially popular duringRamadan celebrations.[33][unreliable source?]
Jilapi inBangladesh, generally consumed as a sweetmeat, is a popularstarter at social events.
Shahi jilapi, meaningKing's jilapi, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[34] It is the largest form of the dessert.
"Jalebi Baby" byTesher: This song, which blends English and Punjabi lyrics, became a viral sensation globally, especially on platforms likeTikTok. The song usesjalebi as a metaphor for something sweet and desirable. The collaboration with Jason Derulo further popularized the song, making it a crossover hit in both South Asian and Western markets.[35][36]
"Jalebi Bai" from the movie"Double Dhamaal": This Bollywood song became a hit item number wherejalebi is used metaphorically to describe an attractive and alluring woman. The song's catchy tune and vibrant performance contributed to its widespread popularity in Indian cinema.[37][38][39]
"afghan jalebi" from the movie"Phantom" This Bollywood song.
"Jalebi" - Jalebi was surrounded by controversy when the leader of opposition inLok SabhaRahul Gandhi, addressing an election rally in Haryana'sGohana, showed a box of the famous jalebi-maker Matu Ram 'halwai' and emphasised that his jalebi should be sold across the country. Jalebi is in parts of India, used as an unfair slur forDravidian languages from the South, owing to the curvy and curly nature of the script.[1][2][3]
^Translated by Nawal NasrallahAnnals of the caliphs' kitchens: Ibn Sayyār al-Warrāq's tenth-century Baghdadi cookbook Volume 70 of Islamic history and civilization Edition illustrated 2007ISBN978-90-04-15867-2. 867 pages BRILL page 413-417