Paneer Jalebi or Chhena Jalebi is easy to make and popular Indian sweet or mithai that is crispy on the outside, juicy with a melt in mouth texture inside. This is one of the best sweet or dessert recipes that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

If you are looking for a quick and easy sweet or dessert to make this Diwali or during any other festivals like Christmas, Eid, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, or for special occasions, you should definitely try this out.

Making jalebi was always on my to-do list. Especially the traditional halwai style crispy kurkuri hot jalebi with homemade rabdi (rabri). I have not yet made the traditional jalebi as it needs some planning, and I am terrible at it, but I promise to post it ASAP for all those who have requested it.

I made this simple and instant version of jalebi to satisfy the sudden craving for jalebi last week. It is not only easy to make, at the same time, it is delicious. The crispy jalebis are soaked in saffron and cardamom flavored syrup, which will melt in your mouth.

So if you want to quickly surprise your guests this holiday season, I highly recommend you try this. And make sure you reserve one or have your portion of jalebi as soon as they are ready because once you serve them, they will get over in no time.

Just read what chhena and paneer are before you make the jalebi dough or batter to have a successful result.

What is the difference between paneer and chhena ?

Both paneer and chhena (chhana or chhanar) are prepared using the same ingredients. The milk is curdled by adding lime juice or vinegar. This curdled milk or soft paneer is called chenna or chanar. This curdled milk is passed through a sieve to remove whey and what is left is pure soft chenna that is used to make desserts like chenna poda, rasgulla, rasmalai, etc.

The weight or pressure is then put to the chenna covered in a muslin cloth to remove all the moisture, and you get a dry solidified form of chenna which is nothing but paneer. Paneer is then used in the preparation of curries and stir fries.

Can I substitute paneer with chhena or vice versa while making jalebi?

To make jalebi, we want a smooth and fluffy batter which is generally formed by the addition of milk. So the amount of milk you add will vary depending on if you are using paneer or chhena. Since paneer is dry and chhena has more moisture content, the amount of milk you add in both cases will be different. But you may definitely substitute paneer with chhena or vice versa.

Ingredients for Paneer Jalebi or Jilebi

For paneer jalebi batter

½ cup Paneer cubes (tightly packed, check tips)
½ cup All-purpose flour or Maida
⅛ teaspoon Baking powder
1 tablespoon Cornflour or Corn starch
¼ teaspoon Red-orange food color (I have used powder form)
¼ cup + 2 to 3 tablespoon Milk (Check tips)

For sugar syrup

1 cups Sugar
½ cup Water
6 to 8 strands of Saffron
2 drops Lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder

Oil for frying

How to make Paneer Jalebi or Chhena Jalebi or Instant Jalebi (Jilapi or Jilipi or Jilebi)

Making of Paneer Jalebi Batter

In a mixer, add paneer cubes and grind without adding any water to form a smooth paste.
Transfer this to a bowl. To this, add flour, baking powder, cornflour, food color, milk in increments of 1 tablespoon and mix using a spatula or whisk to form a smooth and fluffy batter.

Important tip - The amount of milk you add will vary depending on moisture content or how dry your paneer was. So always add in increments.

Making of Sugar Syrup for Jalebi

Add sugar, water, and few drops of lemon juice in a pan on medium heat, and stir until sugar dissolves and starts to boil. Once it starts boiling, add few strands of saffron, and continue to simmer on medium-low for 5 mins or until the syrup is not runny.

To check if the syrup is not runny, add a drop of sugar syrup to a bowl and tilt; it should not be watery but sticky.

Add cardamom powder and switch off the flame.

How to shape and fry jalebis?

Depending on how you want your final product to look, you can use a star nozzle or round nozzle with a piping bag. Add the jalebi batter to the piping bag.

Heat oil in a pan for frying on medium flame. Once the oil is hot on medium flame, press and turn the piping bag in a circular motion to form a round spiral-shaped jalebi and lock it if needed, as you see in the video.

Locking the jalebi batter ensures the jabeli holds its shape and doesn't unwind and expand. To release the batter after each jalebi is piped out, you can use a knife. Check the video on the making of paneer jalebi.
Once it becomes firm and golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook on another side till it is crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Within 15 to 30 seconds, transfer the warm jalebis into the sugar syrup and soak for 2 minutes. You can flip it after 2 minutes so that it gets soaked completely on another side too. After another two minutes, transfer it to a serving plate. Garnish it with nuts if desired and enjoy.

Tips:

Your jalebis will retain its shape if the batter is done correctly. Don't add too much or too little milk. As shown in the video, you will have to add milk until the batter is smooth and fluffy.
Adding food color is optional.
You can flavor sugar syrup with cardamom, saffron, rose water, or your preferred combination.
Always fry jalebis on medium flame. If jalebis are cooked on a high flame, their surface will develop a dark brown color but remain uncooked inside. Jalebis will absorb too much oil if cooked on low flame.

Why are my jalebis soggy?

Jalebis will turn soft and soggy if the batter is too thick and if you have fried it on high flame. Jalebis will turn our flat if the batter is too runny.

How to serve paneer jalebi?

Paneer jalebi can be served alone or along with rabdi (rabri) or vanilla ice cream.

How to store paneer jalebi?

You can store the jalebi in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. For extended shelf life, you can refrigerate and reheat them before serving.
For extended life, jalebis can be frozen too.

IF YOU are looking of some more INDIAN FOOD RECIPES, do check out

Video recipe for Paneer Jalebi or Chhena Jalebi or Instant Jalebi (Jilapi or Jilipi or Jilebi)

Detailed recipe for Paneer Jalebi or Chhena Jalebi or Instant Jalebi (Jilapi or Jilipi or Jilebi)

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