“Dolon let’s make Elo Jhelo” together” and that was how dida taught me the process of making Elo Jhelo years back!
She used to make small portion of Elo Jhelo for me and that was enough to make me happy years back. The crunchy sweet Elo Jhelo Nimki was something I have grown up eating with. However, it was not quite a frequent treat at my home. Dida (my mother’s mother) used to make it mostly during Durga Puja.
The name Elo Jhelo is quite weird; isn’t it? Those who don’t know this is a famous Bengali snack. Elo Jhelo is a sweet treat. Mostly prepared during Durgapuja these days I have seen people making it during Diwali as well surprisingly in the non-Bengali households.
Elo Jhelo; from Dida’s kitchen to my kitchen!
I never have thought of making traditional delicacies regularly at home or at all! However, now that I am in Gurgaon and cannot go to Kolkata I have started making the traditional Bengali delicacies at home. In fact, this is how this blog, Debjanir Rannaghar has been started. Moreover, Dida is no more with us and hence, one must carry on her legacy and I am trying my bit to carry on the same.
While making Elo Jhelo I follow Dida’s recipe. I have seen her making it for years. The process is a bit tricky and hence needs proper knowledge to make it perfect. The process though is tricky, however, not complex. I have tried to show the step by step process through pictorials so that you can easily make it at home.
Here’s how I make Elo Jhelo at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Maida / All Purpose Flour: 2 Cup
- Water for Kneading: ¼ cup or less for making a tight dough
- Ghee: 2 tsp.
- White Oil: for deep frying
- Salt: 1 pinch
- Baking Soda: 1 pinch
- Sugar: 1.5 Cup
- Water: ½ Cup
- Green Cardamom: 3-4
- Take Maida along with salt and baking powder in a deep bottom bowl and mix properly.
- Add 1 tbsp. Ghee and 1 tbsp. White oil to the Maida and kneed for 3-4 minutes to get a sand-like mixture.
- Add very little water while kneading and knead again for 4-5 minutes.
- We need tight dough to make perfect “Elo Jhelo”.
- Cover the dough and give it a stand of 30 minutes.
- Take the dough and divide it into small ping pong ball sized proportions.
- From 2 cup of Maida, we’ll get around 20 balls.
- Now take one ball and roll it with the help of a rolling pin into a small round disk of 4-5” diameter (something like a Luchi / Puri).
- Take a sharp knife and make parallel slits on the flattened disk.
- Leave 0.5’ gap in both the edges of the disk. It should look like the picture given below.
- Now hold both the side and lightly press to join the sides as shown in the picture.
- Following the process mentioned prepare Elo Jhelos using the remaining dough.
- Take Sufficient White oil in a wok / pan and heat the oil properly.
- The temperature of the oil plays a major role in preparing perfect Elo Jhelo.
- We don’t need extra hot Oil for preparing Elo Jhelo as we need to fry them on medium heat.
- Deep fry all the Elo Jhelos. Those have to be golden brown in color and Crisp from inside.
- Cool down the Elo Jhelos completely.
- Take sugar and water in a deep pan and cook for 3-4 minutes in high heat to get sticky syrup.
- We need a 2 string Sugar syrup for making Elo Jhelos.
- When you have the perfect consistency of the syrup switch off the flame.
- Add fried Elo Jhelos in the sugar syrup and dip those in the Sugar Syrup for 15-20 seconds to coat properly.
- Take the Elo Jhelos out in a lightly greased plate and give them an hour of standing time.
- Store Elo Jhelos in an airtight container.
Bengali Dessert Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Komola Kheer (Also known as Kheer Komola or Bengali Orange Kheer or Komlalebur Payesh)
- Narkeli Jam Pitha (Also known as Jam Pithe)
- Dudh Puli (Also known as Bengali Dudhpuli)
- Choshir Payesh (Also known as Bengali Choshi Kheer)
- Khejur Gurer Rosogolla (Also known as Bengali Gurer Roshogolla)
- Rosh Bora (Also known as Fritters served with Runny Sugar/ Jaggery syrup)
- Two in One Sondesh (Also known as Bengali Sondesh)
- Taler Bibikhana Pitha (Also known as Taler Pithe or Sugar Palm Cake)
- Patishapta (Also known as Bengali Patishapta Pitha)
- Kancha Golla (Also known as Bengali Kancha Golla Sondesh)
- Gujiya (Also known as Bengali Gujia)
- Chaler Payesh (Also known as Bengali Rice Kheer)
Have you tried the Elo Jhelo recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here on dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar. You can tag me at @foodofdebjani as well.
Here’s the Elojhelo Nimki Pin for your Pinterest Board!
