Lion: Saroo’s Jalebis Recipe
EXT. KHANDWA MARKETS – SOON AFTER (AFTERNOON)
They dump the coal into a STREET VENDOR’s bucket.
As the vendor ladles out a small plastic bag of warm milk from a bubbling vat, Saroo notices something to his side –
POV, as in a dream: in another vat, rich, deep-orange Jalebis sizzle – an unattainable feast that makes Saroo salivate.
SAROO
(nudges Guddu)
Guddu … Jalebis …
Guddu looks at them too; for a beat we see beyond the boys’ deep hunger – they’re just kids, yearning for a sweet.
LION, SCREENPLAY, 2016
GUDDU: I’ll go sort things for tomorrow. Then we can find a place to sleep.
SAROO: Bring back a thousand jalebis.
GUDDU: Very funny. Wait here. You don’t move, okay?
LION, 2016
If there’s one thing from this Oscars recipe series that I was really excited to make, it has to be Saroo’s jalebis from the movie, Lion. The movie starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman was incredible story based Saroo Brierley’s memoir, A Long Way Home.
I’ve had jalebis a few times in my life but never had it occurred to me how difficult it was to make them! This had to have been my fourth batch of jalebis this week. The first batch completely disintegrated in the syrup. The recipe I have today is from Food.com. It was the easiest batter to put together and it came out so well! My technique needs a lot of work but the flavor and texture was fantastic.
Lion: Saroo's Jalebis
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp gram flour
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt beaten
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 500 ml ghee or oil
- 500 ml sugar syrup
- few threads of saffron
Instructions
- Mix together the flour and gram flour in a mixing bowl until well combined. Mix in the water and yogurt, mix thoroughly.
- Mix the batter for 5-7 minutes until you reach a ribbon stage. Add the baking soda. Pour the batter in a pipping bag or squeeze bottle.
- Keep the sugar syrup warm and add the saffron threads to the syrup. Heat the oil over medium heat. Pipe the batter into the hot oil into a spiral. Fry until it's lightly brown on both sides. Immediately transfer the fried jalebis to the syrup. Toss the coat the jalebis. Drain off any excess syrup and serve.
Notes
- I noticed that letting the batter sit for 15-20 minutes in room temperature really allowed for the jalebis to puff up when it was in the oil.
- The best way I found to crate the spiral shape is to first pipe the larger circle and then work my way in.
