Jilipi is a well-known accompaniment in the breakfast in any average Bengali household. But muger jilipi is not something really very common. This is a typical product from Midnapore- (probably) originated in Narajol and popularly available in Debra- Midnapore. This blogpost is on this unsung hero.
Jilipi is a pretty old dish. In ancient time, it was called as Kundalini. In fact in the book Kulunkul Sarbasya, by Ramnarayan Tarkalankar in Bengali year 1261, we can find Jilip as part of Uttam Falar (highly rated meal)
নিখুঁতি জিলাপি গজা ছানাবড়া বড় মজা
শুনে শক শক করে নোলা
Where to find it?
One when someone goes towards Kharagpore from Kolaghat, after approximately 30 min drive, on your left, comes this place called Debra. Please do not take the overbridge crossing the place. And below it, are these two run-of-the-mills shops serving Muger jilipi.
Please check the location here
So, what’s it about?
Jilipi is made out of 2 1/2 circular motion of the batter into the hot oil. Nothing more, nothing less. The beauty lies in the thickness of the layers. The outer crust should be crunchy, wherein the inside should be soft. Wherein, Jalebi has probably come from the western part of the country and in a more refined dish. the rings are thin and crispy. In Midnapore, they make jilipi with moong dal or split green gram and is named as Muger Jilipi or Papri.
Muger Jilipi is made famous in a place called Haur and is rumoured to be invented by the late Pulin Bihari Bhowmik. Another theory says, it is invented with support from the Narajol Rajbari. They used to have a steady supply of Mung dal, or Split Green Gram, and thus the invention. And as a result, the muger jilipi is not very soft, but enjoyable.
Muger jilipi is one of those regular everyday sweets of Bengal, which is specific to Midnapore, and is good- but not something mindblowing. But if one needs to look for the varieties of jilipi in Bengal, apart from regular Jilipi and chhanar Jilipi, this also needs to be documented. Do let me know, if you’ve taste this and what is your feedback.
Bon appetit!!!
I can be reached at indrajit.lahiri@ymail.com
