Chhena Jalebi (Odisha Cheese Jalebi)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Fresh chhena is kneaded with a little flour and semolina, piped in spirals into hot oil and soaked in light cardamom syrup. It is softer and richer than the batter-based jalebi. Makes 12 jalebis in about 1 hr 25 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 1 hr 25 min

Yield 12 jalebis

Ingredients

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jalebis

10 ½ oz (300 g)fresh chhena (drained curd cheese), crumbled
3 tbsp (25 g)all-purpose flour
1 oz (25 g)fine semolina
¼ tsp (1 g)baking powder
3 ¼ cups (750 ml)neutral oil, for frying
1 cup (200 g)granulated sugar
3 cups (700 ml)water
5cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp (5 ml)lemon juice

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Instructions

Boil the sugar and water in a wide pan for about 10 minutes until it is a very light syrup that makes a thin thread between two fingers. Add the cardamom and lemon juice, then keep the syrup warm.
Knead the chhena for 8 to 10 minutes on a smooth surface until it is soft and smooth with no grains; work in the flour, semolina and baking powder.
Fill a squeeze bottle or a piping bag with a small round nozzle with the dough.
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 320 F (160 C). Pipe 4 to 5 spirals into the oil at a time.
Fry over low-medium heat, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes until golden; the oil must be hot enough to color but not burn them.
Drain briefly and drop the jalebis in the warm syrup. Soak 30 minutes, turning once, then serve warm or chilled.

Tips

Knead well; a grainy dough cracks while frying.
Keep the syrup light so the jalebis stay soft.
Pipe over a plate first to practice the spiral.
Hot oil can reach 320 F (160 C); never leave it unattended and keep water away from it.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make chhena jalebi (odisha cheese jalebi)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 12 jalebis.

How should I store chhena jalebi (odisha cheese jalebi)?

Refrigerate in their syrup up to 3 days.

Can I make chhena jalebi (odisha cheese jalebi) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Chhena jalebi is a sweet from Odisha that makes the jalebi from fresh chhena (curd cheese), known locally as chenna jhili. Serve it with hot milk or chai.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

217 Calories / serving

13.3g Fat

20.7g Carbs

5.0g Protein

17.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~2604 cal · 160g fat · 248g carbs · 60g protein · 206g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.