The Fault in Our JILAPIS
Sugar syrup, ghee, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and lots of oil. These are the ingredients brought together to make sweet and swirly pieces of sugar-dripping dough famously known as jilapi, perhaps the most loved sweetmeat in this part of the world.
Who would've thought people would create two versions of it and start quibbling about which is the better one? Yes, welcome to the world of "mota" and "chikon" jilapi. Let's see where jilapi enthusiasts draw the line between the two kinds and which one, ultimately, comes out on top.
SIZE CONUNDRUM
Size isn't even a valid point to quibble over, but sadly, this had to be turned into an issue by some people. The large structure of the mota jilapi is somewhat more attractive to a majority of the people. Someone who has consumed only mota jilapi throughout their entire life is introduced to the concept and existence of chikon jilapi would probably lose his or her mind and say, "It's too small." Then again, people do have their own preferences and some people just like it small. They deserve kudos for appreciating the smaller things in life.
CRUNCH COMPONENT
Jilapis freshly taken out of the syrup are always a delight; warm, delicious, and most importantly, crunchy. Chikon ones, however, have a more lasting crunchy feel to it which makes it stand apart from your regular mota jilapi. However, the short-term crunch effect is lost if the jilapi is consumed a bit late.
TOO MUCH SYRUP
The sweet gush of syrup is what makes jilapis stand out from all the other sweet items you can possibly name. This gush of sweetness varies in chikon and mota jilapis and is what makes people prefer one over the other. In case of mota jilapis, the syrup is a lot more contained and for many that's a bit too much. Some people prefer mota jilapis just for this excess gush of syrup.
PRICE TAGS
Your average mota jilapi will cost you somewhat around BDT 100 per kilogram, which is quite reasonable for your everyday iftar consumption. The mota jilapis which have additional adjectives before them will cost more, but we won't be taking them into account. Chikon jilapis, on the other hand, can cost you from BDT 200 to all the way up to BDT 800 and more depending on where you buy them. That steep an amount is alright if you're consuming them once a week or so, but it's not a viable daily option.
Now let's come to the conclusion, or at least try. No matter how you look at it, there is no specific winner. At the end of the day, it all comes down to preferences; we all have our own favourite. Some like it thick, some prefer thin. So instead of finding the fault in jilapis, let's all just appreciate these sweet, crunchy, and curly delicacy and hope that one day it will bring world peace.