Fafda Jalebi - my love for this iconic Gujarati breakfast snack

Fafda is one of the most iconic snack from my favourite state in India - Gujarat. I never knew such a snack even existed till my dad decided to move from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat way back in the 1990s. We had a fantastic Gujarati neighbour who took it upon themselves to acclimatise us with the phenomenal Gujarati cuisine. In our family, my mother and I fell quickly in love with the food there - all thanks to baa (Gujarati for mother but she was the great grandmother and the matriarch of the family and passed away only recently due to Covid-19) for the numerous Gujarati meals at their home.

It was common back in those days to exchange food whenever neighbours made anything new or interesting and in our case, tons of interesting foods came from their home. Just as much as they loved the rajma, pakal paneer, naan and other things that Amma made, we loved the dhokla, handva, and everything else they sent even more.

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Fafda Jalebi

fafda, jalebi, gujarati, snack, gujarat, food
Shop selling fafda-jalebi in Ahmedabad

I took to fafda quickly because I was familiar with the taste - it's similar to the North Indian gathia which I loved already. However, it took me a while to like the Gujarati version of jalebi. Unlike it's North Indian counterpart, the ones in Gujarat are a mix of sour and sweet and I just didn't like it at all.

It was only after I travelled to Kutch on a field trip during NID days that I was introduced to this combination and I immediately fell in love with it. It's certainly not a healthy everyday breakfast, but it's an absolutely delicious combination. To me, by far, the best fafda Jalebi is to be had in the Kutch region of the state. If you step out early in the morning, you'll see many stalls and carts setting this combination with chutney. 

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Gujarati jalebi in the making 


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Fafda in the making

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A happy shopkeeper

Gujaratis have been some of the most active travellers for centuries, and they often travelled and settled in new lands. As they went to new places, so did their food and I am so thankful to their community in Mumbai because of which I do not miss being in Gujarat anymore so much.

You get it (and other Gujarati snacks) in all places where Gujaratis live in large numbers. And if you have a Gujarati friend just ask him/ her to invite you home (I've done this often) and you'll be rewarded with some of the best vegetarian food you'll ever eat in your life.

Recipe for fafda jalebi

Well, though I cook reasonably well, I don't think I'll ever attempt making jalebi at home. However, you can and here's a video which explains it well.


So have you tried it as yet? 

Comments

  1. Just loved the post, Not try Fafda Jalebi , Jalebi my favorite :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do try it out...this jalebi is a bit different though...

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  2. Fafda Jalebi is the heart of Gujarat. Even though if one is a proper local they do not get tired of Fafda Jalebi every Sunday. Sunday, Gujarati and Fafda Jalebi cannot be separated.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your Blogs are Very Informative . Keep it up .

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your article is informative. I learn many things by reading your article.

    ReplyDelete

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