Jalebi, also known as Zulbia, is a sweet popular in countries of South Asia, West Asia, North Africa, and East Africa. It is made by deep-frying maida flour (Plain flour or All-purpose flour) batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. They are particularly popular in the Indian subcontinent.

The sweets are served warm or cold. They have a somewhat chewy texture with a crystallized sugary exterior coating. Citric acid or lime juice is sometimes added to the syrup, as well as rose water. Jalebi is eaten with curd, rabri (North India) along with optional other flavours such as kewra (scented water).

This dish is not to be confused with similar sweets and variants like imarti and chhena jalebi.

In Iran it is known as zulabia in Persian and in addition to being sweetened with honey and sugar is also flavored with saffron and rose water.

In the Levant and other Middle Eastern countries, it is known as "zalabia" (sometimes spelt "zalabiya"). In the Maldives, it is known by the name "zilēbi".

This sweet is called "jeri" in Nepal, a word derived from Jangiri and the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

In Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, this sweet is known as zlebia or zlabia.

Imarti or Jhangri is a dessert introduced by Mughal cooks to India and other countries of the Indian Subcontinent. It is made by deep-frying urad flour batter in a kind of circular flower shape, then soaked in sugar syrup. Alternative names include Amriti, Emarti, Omriti and Jaangiri. This dish is not to be confused with Jalebi which has comparatively thinner material and is sweeter than Imarti.

Imarti is made from a variety of urad flour, also colloquially called jalebi parappu (dal) or jalebi urad in south India. Sugar syrup and saffron is added for colour.

Urad dal is soaked in water for few hours, and stone-ground into a fine batter. The batter is poured into ghee, though other oils are sometimes used. Similarly to funnel cakes, the batter is poured into geometric patterns, although imartis are generally smaller than funnel cakes. There is often a small ring in the middle.

Before frying the batter, sugar syrup is prepared and is usually flavored with edible camphor, cloves, cardamom and saffron. The fried material is then dipped in sugar syrup until it expands in size and soaks up a significant amount of the syrup. In Northern India imartis are usually drained, so tend to be drier than jalebis. The pieces can be served hot, at room temperature, or sometimes refrigerated.

In South India, this sweet is served during the meal and also popular at weddings and festivals. In particular, Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh is famous for its imarti.