Zalabiyeh

Zalabiyeh(Arabic:زلابية) is afritterordoughnutfound in several cuisines across theArab world,West Asiaand some parts of Europe influenced by the former. The fritter version is made from a semi-thin batter of wheat flour which is poured into hot oil and deep-fried.The earliest known recipe for the dish comes from a 10th-centuryArabic cookbookand was originally made by pouring the batter through a coconut shell.
The earliest known recipes forzalabiyacomes from the 10th centuryArabic cookbookKitab al-Tabikh.In the old Al-Baghdadi book of recipes of the Arabs; the dough was poured through a coconut shell. This style of fritter is similar to the Indianjelabiand a 16th-century recipe fromGerman cuisineforstraubenmade using a funnel.
Different methods have developed in the preparation of the pastry dessert. According toMuqadassi(10th-century CE), the people inGreater Syriaduring winter "[would] prepare the unlatticed type ofZalabiya. This would be the deep-fried bread fritterZalabiya. Some are elongated in shape, similar to crullers, while the smaller ones, sometimes made into balls, are similar to the shape of dumplings."InNorth Africa, they would give the nameZalabiyato a different type of pastry, namely to theMushabbak, being a deep-fried lattice-shaped pastry made by looping batter, and drenched inʻasal(honey) syrup orqatr."
In 1280, the Jewish–Sicilian doctorFaraj ben Salimtranslated into Latin a pharmaceutical book, (English:The Table of Countries; Latin:Tacvini Aegritvdinvm et Morborum ferme omnium Corporis humani), which was authored byIbn Jazlaan Arab physicianand consists of a number of Persian recipes, including one for "Zelebia".
AmongYemenite Jews, thezalabiyehwas a treat eaten especially during the winter months.InYemen, thezalabiyehwas fried in asoapstonepot lined with oil about 1 cm. deep, in which oil and sometimes honey was mixed.There,zalabiyehwas "made from a soft yeast bread [and] which is fried on both sides in deep oil. There are those who add to the doughblack cuminfor improved taste. They are eaten while they are still hot, while some have it as a practice to eat them with honey or with sugar."
According to2 Samuel 13:8–10King David's daughter prepared fritters (Hebrew:לְבִיבוֹת) for her step-brother Amnon.By the 2nd-century CE, the name of the fritter had taken on the namesūfğenīn(Hebrew:סוּפְגְּנִין) inMishnaicHebrew, a word derived from its sponge-like texture with alveolar holes.
Zalabiyehare commonly eaten by Muslims during the month ofRamadan, and Indian Christian communities during Advent and Easter, and by Sephardic Jews forHanukkah. In Lebanon they are eaten on the night of January 5 to celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ. The dough is mixed with aniseed and, in the South of the country, three holes are made in the dough to symbolize the Holy Trinity. They are eaten in both their elongated form and their round form on that day.
Zalabiyeh(orzelebi) are a traditionalsufgan("spongy dough") forPersian Jews.
The fritter is very common in the Indian subcontinent, in countries such asIndia,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Nepal,Bangladesh, although made differently to that of the Middle Eastern and North African variety. In many Middle Eastern and North African countries, such asIran,Iraq,Jordan,Syria,Lebanon,Tunisia,Algeria,Sudan, and also inEgypt, they resemble spongy-cakes fried in oil.
InIran, where it is known aszolbiya, the sweet was traditionally given to the poor during Ramadan. There are several 13th century recipes of the sweet, the most accepted being mentioned in a cookbook byMuhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi.
InNorth Macedoniathey are called Pitulitsi while in theItalianregion ofPugliathey are referred to as Pittule and are usually consumed in December.
InIraqin the 20th-century,starch(Arabic:النشا) was a basic ingredient in theirzalabiyeh, topped with sugar.In North Africa,zalabiyehwas often made withyoghurtadded to the dry ingredients.
They are known aszlebiainTunisian cuisine,jalebiein thePhilippines,zülbiyainAzerbaijan,gwaramariin Nepal andjilapiinIndia.