Zoolbia Recipe: How to Make the Crispy Persian Dessert
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Mar 23, 2024 • 2 min read
This special Persian sweet is made with a lightly fermented batter and flavored with saffron and rose water.
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What Is Zoolbia?
Zoolbia is a sweet, crunchy Iranian fritter typically served alongside a cup of tea. The sweet fritter consists of corn starch, yogurt, and flour that is lightly fermented, added to a squeeze bottle, and deep-fried in hot oil. The result is a crispy tangle of dough that resembles funnel cake. After frying, zoolbia are soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with saffron, rose water, and sometimes cardamom and ground pistachios. This sweet dessert is a part of South Asian and Iranian cuisines: In Iran, zoolbia are traditionally served during iftar, the post-sunset Ramadan meal, and Nowruz (Iranian New Year). In India, this sweet treat is known as jalebi and is one of its national desserts.
What Is the Difference Between Zoolbia and Bamieh?
Zoolbia and bamieh are fried desserts from the Middle East that are coated in rose water and saffron syrup, but these Persian recipes have different shapes and are made with different types of dough. Bamieh is made with a choux pastry-like dough and shaped using a star-tipped piping bag, like churros with a donut texture. Zoolbia is made with a thin batter and shaped using a squeeze bottle, similar to funnel cakes with a crispier texture.
Easy Zoolbia Recipe
makes
prep time
10 mintotal time
4 hr 50 mincook time
40 minIngredients
- 1
Make the batter. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, and yogurt and cover. Let rest at room temperature at least four hours and up to 12 hours.
- 2
Make the sugar syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar with ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until sugar has completely dissolved and mixture forms a thick syrup, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Add honey, rosewater, saffron water, and lemon juice to the simple syrup and simmer until well combined, about 1 minute. Reduce to lowest heat, keeping syrup warm while you fry the zoolbia.
- 4
Add baking soda to fermented batter and stir to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time, continually whisking until the batter reaches a pourable consistency. Transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle.
- 5
Fill a large frying pan over low heat with 1 inch of oil. When warm, test the oil by squirting a small amount of batter into the oil. It should float within a couple of seconds.
- 6
Working in batches, make 4-inch swirls of batter in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 6–7 minutes.
- 7
Using a slotted spoon, hold the zoolbia above the pan for a few seconds to drain off any excess oil. Transfer the zoolbia to the warm sugar syrup and soak for about 3 minutes.
- 8
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the zoolbia to a serving dish. Let cool to room temperature and serve.
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