Sale of ‘Doodh Jalebi’ soars in capital

The sale of 'Dhoodh Jallebi' has substantially increased and shops that have the dessert remain popular during cold weather in the federal capital.

These shops are open till late at night, as the cosy and warm gift of winter enhances the charm of the cold, particularly during foggy and rainy weather.

‘Dhoodh Jallebi’ is luscious sweet dessert, which is an amalgam of hot sweet Jallebi, warm milk, cardamom and nuts. It not only provides sense of pleasure, but also helps revive energy and keeps the body warm.

A sweet seller in the G-7 sector of Islamabad said that jalebi attracted citizens all year around, but in extreme winter, the sale of hot milk and jalebi increased exponentially. This also gave a sizeable profit to all those in the business, he added. “We follow a traditional recipe of the dessert, which provides energy to the body and reduces the feeling of cold as well" he said. “We earn four times more in winter, in comparison to the summer months,” he added.

The demand of the combo increases every year with a decrease in the temperatures, said another shopkeeper in I-9 Markaz Islamabad. He said that thousands of people throng the shops to taste the sweetness of the winter treat with their families. He added that they come from all over the twin cities.

Sanaullah Jan, a senior citizen said that the sweet and milk combo was his favorite dessert. He added that in the era of fast food, the availability of traditional sweets and snacks with warm milk in market was no less than a blessing. “Hot Dhood Jallebi warms my body and helps me to induce good sleep during the winter," he added.

Nighat Ahsan, a working woman, said her children and especially her daughters love to eat the local sweet as it gives them a cosy feeling during the biting cold. “It is our special winter evening snack, that my family and I enjoy on cold rainy days" she said.

In the end, Aliya Dar, a University student of International Islamic University, Islamabad said that her university cafeteria did not have the winter treat and they had to travel to I-10 Markaz to enjoy it.

“This is not only a snack particularly high in calories, but also a diet sufficient to satiate energy demands of the human body during the extreme winter season. My friends and I love Dhodh Jellebi" she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2022.