Shahi jilapi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Traditional shahi jilapi from Old Dhaka | |
| Type | Iftar, snacks |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Chowk Bazaar, Old Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Region or state | Old Dhaka along with Bangladesh |
| Associated cuisine | Bangladesh |
| Created by | cook of the Dhaka Nawab's kitchen |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Mashkolai dal, ghee, pea-flour, flour, dalda, sugar syrup |
| Similar dishes | Jalebi, imarti, chhena jalebi, pench jilapi, chikon jilapi, reshmi jilapi |
Shahi jilapi (Bengali: শাহী জিলাপি, romanized: shahī jilapi, lit. 'royal jalebi') is a famous traditional sweet originating from Chowk Bazaar in Old Dhaka of Bangladesh, which is well-known throughout the country.[1] For Ramadan it is most commonly prepared and sold in Chowk Bazaar of Old Dhaka, a longtime iftar hub to the natives of Dhaka.
This traditional jilapi is made by twisting the dough like a coil. The radius of each jilapi can be a few inches and the weight varies from 1 to 2.5 kilograms.[2] It is so large that it is eaten in iftar or as a snack by a group of three or four people.[3][4]
Although jilapi was created in the early fifteenth century, Shahi jilapi is a bit more modern addition. It was introduced to the Dhakaiya people a few decades ago. Families living in Old Dhaka, used to buy it and ate it together. Gradually, it also became popular at iftar and wedding or occasional banquets, and many others started to make it. The word Shahi, means something which is royal. Shahi jilapi came from the shahi kitchen(literally royal kitchen) of the Nawabs of Dhaka. They would eat it during family occasions and that's where the idea came from. Thus, therefore, the name of this large, delicious and famous sweetmeat is Shahi Jilapi.[5]
