Jangiri / Imarti

Imarti (Emarti or Jaangiri) is a dessert from Rajasthan made by deep-frying urad flour batter in a kind of pretzel or circular shape, then soaked in sugar syrup. It was one of the food items presented by Rajputs to Mughals during cultural exchanges. Imarti was considered one of the items of Raj Bhog (Royal Food Menu). Popularity of this sweet dish increased in other parts of India as Mughals expanded there.

Jangiri / Imarti

Ingredients

• White urad dhal - 1 cup
• Rice - 1 tbl sp
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Kesar colour - little
• Saffron - little
• Rose water - 2 tsps

Method

• Soak dhal and rice together in water for 15 minutes.
• Grind into smooth thick frothy paste with very little water using wet grinder.
• Grind for 40 to 45 minutes, add little kesar colour and take out from grinder.
• Mix sugar and water in a heavy pan and heat in medium flame stirring constantly till half string consistency is reached. Mix rose water, kesar colour, little crushed saffron to this.
• Heat oil in a medium sized kadai or flat pan with about 1 1/2 inch depth.
• Take little dough in jangiri cloth (cone shape cloth with small hole in centre). Close it properly and with gentle pressure put two continuous circles (clock-wise direction) of two inch diameter in oil and continue with chain like rings (anti clock-wise direction) on top of it so that jangiri shape is formed.
• Turn over gently when it is cooked.
• Take it out from oil, drain excess oil and put in hot sugar syrup.
• Allow it to soak for one minute turning once in between.
• Remove from syrup and arrange on a flat plate.