A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Jalebi
A sweet, crispy, spiral-shaped fried dough pastry soaked in syrup. Learn to say it right.
jalebi
juh-LAY-bee
/dʒəˈleɪ.bi/ · juh · lay · bee
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It's a popular sweet treat during festivals and celebrations in South Asia and beyond.
Where the word comes from
The word 'jalebi' likely comes from the Arabic word 'zulabiya', which itself is derived from the Persian word 'zulbah'.
Common ways people get it wrong
- JAH-leh-bee The 'j' sound is like 'judge', not 'jam'. The first syllable is unstressed and short.
- juh-LAH-bee The stress falls on the second syllable, 'LAY', not the third.
Frequently asked
What does jalebi taste like?
Jalebi is very sweet, with a crispy texture from the fried dough and a syrupy, often floral or citrusy flavor from the sugar syrup.
Is jalebi a type of donut?
While both are fried dough, jalebi has a distinct spiral shape and is soaked in syrup, giving it a different texture and flavor profile than most donuts.
How is jalebi made?
A fermented batter of flour is piped in a spiral shape into hot oil and deep-fried until crisp, then soaked in a sugar syrup.
