Zalabia — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Lacy, crunchy fritters made from a fermented batter, deep-fried into intricate patterns and soaked in sweet saffron syrup. These Bahraini sweets are a visual spectacle and a crunchy delight.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1.5 cups warm water
Pinch of saffron
Oil for deep frying
For syrup: 2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp rose water
1/4 tsp cardamom

Instructions

1 Mix flour, cornstarch, yeast, sugar, saffron, and warm water into a smooth batter. Cover and let ferment for 2 hours until bubbly.
2 Make syrup by boiling sugar and water for 10 minutes, then adding lemon juice, rose water, and cardamom. Cool completely.
3 Heat oil to 175C. Pour batter into a squeeze bottle or piping bag with a small round tip.
4 Squeeze batter into the hot oil in circular or lattice patterns, creating lacy fritters about 8cm across.
5 Fry for 2-3 minutes until deep golden and crispy, turning once for even color on both sides.
6 Immediately dip hot fritters into the cold syrup for 30 seconds, then drain on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature.

Did You Know?

In old Bahrain, zalabia vendors would compete by creating increasingly elaborate patterns, turning frying into a performance art.