Recipe: Chanar Jilipi | Bengal

Unlike the crisp jalebi, Chanar Jilipi is a soft Bengali sweet made with fresh chhena, shaped into spirals and soaked in cardamom-scented sugar syrup. It is a classic Bengali mithai and makes a lovely festive alternative to the usual jalebi.

Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the jilipi

• 250 g fresh chhena/paneer
• 50 g khoya, grated
• 2 tbsp maida
• 1 tbsp sooji
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ghee
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

For the sugar syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 4 green cardamoms, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp rose water

For frying

• 500 ml neutral oil or ghee

Get the ingredients here

Method

1. Crumble the fresh chhena and knead it until smooth and lump-free.
2. Add grated khoya, maida, sooji, baking powder, ghee and cardamom powder.
3. Knead into a soft, smooth mixture. Do not add water unless necessary.
4. Divide the mixture into small portions and roll each into a thin rope.
5. Shape each rope into a tight spiral, gently pressing the ends so they hold their shape.
6. Heat oil or ghee on medium-low heat.
7. Fry the jilipi slowly until golden brown on all sides.
8. Meanwhile, combine sugar, water and cardamom in a pan and cook until you get a light, sticky syrup. It does not need to reach a thick one-string consistency.
9. Add rose water to the syrup.
10. Place the fried jilipi in the warm syrup and let it soak for 20–30 minutes.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.