The Jilapi Craze: Crunchy, sweet, and irresistible

Jilapi or jelebi, Ramzan or Ramadan; whichever way you say it, #jilapis is now a trending post on social media. And why not? It is the quintessential iftar delicacy second to none.

A jilapi can be enjoyed hot or cold; even if a day-old. It is a sweet that is traditionally consumed during Ramadan and despite the cult following, no two jilapi connoisseurs agree on which is the best jilapi in town.

Supriti Sarkar loves the chikon jilapi (the thin variant) from Jaipur Sweets in Dhanmondi Road 27. "Mohakhali Khabar Dabar Restora has sesame sprinkled jilapi, which are thick and fleshy."

To Supriti, Premium Sweets, however, has the best chhanar jilapi -- a modified version prepared with cottage cheese.

"These are few of the best in town but hands down for me the winner is the chikon jilapi with rabri from Mithaiwala."

Al-Hassan, always locked in friendly banter with Supriti, feels that gurer jilapi -- dipped in molasses instead of sugar syrup -- is worthy of a mention.

"This may seem like a recent addition to the Dhaka food scene, but actually has enjoyed a niche following for some time now."

Hassan also likes the thin jilapi fried with a hint of ghee.

However, their friend Mashhur prefers the shahi jilapis from a small, obscure shop in Mouchak Supermarket. 

And then there is Chawk Bazaar's large Shahi jilapi, big enough to satiate the sugar cravings of an entire family! Surprisingly, none of the three friends are fond of this delicacy from the Chawk.

There are many variations in the recipe of jilapi, and although not tried anymore, the one from the Nawabi kitchen is said to have been dipped in clarified honey perfumed with rose water, musk, and camphor.

Most connoisseurs agree that the ghee used to make jilapi often makes all the difference in taste.

Avishek Sinha, CEO of signature by Khazana, a popular restaurant that specialises in iftar delicacies during the month of fasting, said, "We stick to the classic deshi ghee, especially made for us in Ishwardi. And we use the best saffron from Kashmir. We have three dedicated chefs who churn out almost 100 kg of jilapis every day."

Business is also good for Altaf Miah, a street vendor in Uttara, who does brisk business during this season.

The thick jilapis he sells are quite the rage in the lane on which he has set up his pop-up stall. The neighbourhood favourite comes with a price tag of Tk 10 per piece.

Having sung all the praises for this Nawabi dish, we also need to keep in consideration what the doctor advises.

"Jilapi is a red flag for diabetic patients and given the fact that it is made from white sugar syrup, white flour, and, in many instances, with ghee [clarified butter], the average person should also consume it only in moderation," advised Dr Tanjina Hossain, associate professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Green Life Medical College, throwing a healthy damper on our love for jilapi.

"Even a small jilapi can have as many as 150 calories, while big ones can have up to 300 calories. On top of that, it's fried in oil that has been used for a long time. Prolonged exposure to heat can cause the formation of trans fat, which is carcinogenic, in oils through an oxidation process.

"Iftar desserts can be milk-based like rice pudding or vermicelli and with fruits. It will give you the energy you need after day-long fasting for both diabetic and non-diabetic people," she added.

So, as the doctor prescribes, "only in moderation" is the keyword when it comes to these crispy sugary swirls.

On days you do indulge in this, relish on a plateful of hot jilapi, just out of the pan, served with a dollop of rabri (thickened milk).

As you bite into the coiled, sugary goodness of the deep-fried batter with milk, you'll know why it is a must-have!