History of Jalebi

History Of Jalebi!!

We saw Gulab Jamuns were not from India now, Jalebi also not from India, ho?

A glass of milk with crunchy hot jalebis is favourite breakfast meal in several Indian towns like Haridwar and Indore.

But, did you know your favourite sugary sweetmeat that you see across all halwai ki dukan in your neighbourhood is not Indian but a West Asian or a Persian import?! Yes, you heard us! Jalebi did not originate in India, but is a version of west Asian "Zolabiya" or "Zalabiya." In Iran, Zalabiya was a festive treat, which was enjoyed by everybody, especially during the iftaar gatherings of Ramzaan. In 13th century, noted writer Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi, collected all the dishes of the time and featured them in his cookbook, 'Kitab al-Tabeekh', where Zalabiya was mentioned for the very first time.

This heavenly sweet is also the gift of Persia and Arab. Jilebi originated in the Middle East. Countries like Greece and Turkey has their own version of the sweet. Muslim traders from the Middle East brought this to India.

A glass of milk with crunchy hot jalebis is favourite breakfast mealWith the onslaught of Turkish and Persian traders and artisans on the Indian shores in the medieval times, Zalabiya was introduced to Indian cooking and became an integral part of Indian cuisine. The sweetmeat began to be known as Jalebi, a local pronunciation of Zaalabia. By 15th century, Jalebi became a mainstay in festive occasions, weddings and even temple food. Priyamkarnrpakatha, a famous Jain scripture penned by Jain author Jinasura, composed around 1450 CE, mentions how jalebi was relished in gatherings of rich merchants. In 16th century, jalebi too found is coveted mention in 'Bhojana Kutuhala'- one of the subcontinents first books of recipes and food science written by Raghunath. The recipe that was mentioned in the book is still practised to prepare jalebi now. Gunyagunabodhini, another Sanskrit work dating before 1600 CE, lists the ingredients and recipe of the dish, which are somewhat identical to the ones used to prepare jalebis.

Source: Internet