This air fryer jalebi recipe uses instant jalebi mix, steaming and air frying instead of deep-frying. The key is making a slightly firm dough so the piped spirals keep their shape during steaming. Once golden, the jalebi is cooled and soaked in warm sugar syrup.
This tested method is different from my traditional jalebi recipe. It is an option when you want to make a small batch without a pan of hot frying oil.
Why Make Jalebi in the Air Fryer?
- No deep-frying: the piped spirals are steamed before air frying.
- Instant mix makes preparation straightforward.
- A little ghee is brushed onto the jalebi during air frying.
- The warm syrup soak gives the finished sweet its familiar sugary coating.
The texture will not be identical to traditionally deep-fried jalebi.
Ingredients
- Instant jalebi mix (Gits used in this test)
- Water (for the syrup)
- Ghee
- Sugar
Use ½ cup of prepared sugar syrup, rather than plain water, to make the dough. It needs to be slightly firm, not too soft, or the spirals can flatten while steaming. This firmer dough takes some effort to squeeze through the piping bottle; apply steady pressure while shaping the spirals. Use 1½ cups each of sugar and water for the syrup, then ½ cup of that syrup for dough. The amount of ghee for brushing was not measured.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Sugar Syrup
Combine 1½ cups sugar and 1½ cups water in a pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop cooking the syrup. Use ½ cup of this prepared syrup to make the jalebi dough. Keep the remaining syrup for soaking the cooked jalebi.
Step 2: Prepare a Slightly Firm Dough
Mix ¾ cup instant jalebi mix with ½ cup of the prepared sugar syrup. Knead to a slightly firm but pipeable dough. If it is too soft, the jalebi will spread and become flat during steaming.
Step 3: Fill the Piping Bottle
Transfer the slightly firm dough into a piping bottle. Because the dough is firmer than regular jalebi batter, piping takes some effort and you will need to apply steady pressure to form the spirals.
Step 4: Pipe the Jalebi
Pipe jalebi spirals onto the steaming tray.
Step 5: Steam the Spirals
Cover with a lid and steam for 5-6 minutes so the jalebi holds its shape.
Step 6: Preheat and Brush with Ghee
Preheat the air fryer. Transfer the steamed jalebi to the air fryer and brush with ghee.
Step 7: Air Fry, Flip and Brush
Air fry at 160°C (320°F). Flip the jalebi and brush with ghee during cooking.
Step 8: Flip Again and Finish Cooking
Flip once more and brush with ghee again. Continue until golden; the total air frying time is 8-9 minutes, including both flips.
Step 9: Soak in Warm Sugar Syrup
Let the cooked jalebi cool for 5 minutes. Use the remaining prepared syrup for soaking. Soak in warm, not very hot, syrup for 10 minutes. Very hot syrup made the jalebi soft during testing.
Variations
For a different flavour, you could try adding cardamom or saffron to the sugar syrup. These additions were not tested in this batch.
Substitutions
I tested this recipe with Gits instant jalebi mix. Other instant mixes may have different water requirements and may not behave the same way during steaming. The ghee-brushed method was tested; alternative fats were not.
Recipe Card
Air Fryer Jalebi recipe (No Deep Frying) | Instant Jalebi in air fryer
Equipment
- Air fryer
- bottle for spirals
- brush
Ingredients
Sugar syrup
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water for making sugar syrup
Jalebi
- ¾ cup Gits instant jalebi dry mix
- ½ cup prepared sugar syrup taken from the syrup made above; for kneading the dough
- ghee for brushing both sides; amount not measured
Instructions
- Combine 1½ cups sugar and 1½ cups water in a pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop cooking the syrup. Reserve ½ cup of the prepared syrup for the jalebi dough; keep the remaining syrup for soaking.1 ½ cups sugar, ½ cup prepared sugar syrup, 1 ½ cups water
- Mix ¾ cup Gits instant jalebi mix with ½ cup prepared sugar syrup to form a slightly firm, pipeable dough. Avoid making the dough too soft or the spirals will flatten while steaming.¾ cup Gits instant jalebi dry mix
- Fill the piping bottle with the firm dough. Apply steady pressure, as it takes some effort to pipe. Pipe jalebi spirals onto the steaming tray.
- Cover and steam the piped spirals for 5-6 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer and brush the steamed jalebi with ghee.
- Air fry at 160°C (320°F) for 8-9 minutes total, flipping twice and brushing both sides with ghee during cooking, until golden.ghee
- Cool the jalebi for 5 minutes.
- Soak the jalebi in the remaining warm, not very hot, sugar syrup for 10 minutes.1 ½ cups water, 1 ½ cups sugar
Notes
FAQs
Yes. In this tested method, pipe slightly firm jalebi dough into spirals, steam for 5-6 minutes and then air fry at 160°C (320°F) for 8-9 minutes, with ghee brushing and two flips.
The dough may be too soft. Use ½ cup prepared sugar syrup with ¾ cup instant jalebi mix and keep the dough slightly firm. Soft dough spreads and loses its spiral shape during steaming.
Very hot sugar syrup softened the jalebi during testing. Cool the air-fried jalebi for 5 minutes and then soak it in warm, rather than very hot, syrup for 10 minutes.
Similar Recipes
- Traditional Jalebi Recipe - compare the original frying method.
- Air Fryer Gulab Jamun - another Indian sweet soaked in syrup.
- Air Fryer Besan Ladoo - roasted besan sweets made in the air fryer.
- Air Fryer Mohanthal - a rich chickpea-based sweet.
- Air Fryer Indian Sweets - more desserts to explore.
- Jalebi Chocolate Bark - another way to enjoy jalebi.
Conclusion
This air fryer jalebi is a practical alternative to deep-frying when using instant jalebi mix. Keep the dough slightly firm, steam the spirals before air frying, flip and brush with ghee twice, and finish with a warm syrup soak. For more ideas, browse my air fryer Indian sweets collection.
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