For the syrup, boil 1 cup of sugar with half of 1 cup of water over medium heat until a cooled drop feels sticky between your fingers but doesn't yet pull into a thread.
Take the syrup off the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom. Keep it warm.
Mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and ⅛ teaspoon of turmeric. Add ½ cup of plain yogurt and the remaining water, a little at a time, and whisk for 4 minutes into a smooth, free-flowing batter.
Heat 1in / 2.5cm of oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat until a drop of batter rises at once without browning. Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of baking soda into the batter and pour it into a squeeze bottle.
Squeeze the batter into the oil in spirals. Fry for 2 minutes, flip, and fry for about 1 minute more over low heat, until crisp.
Drop the hot jalebis into the warm syrup for about 2 minutes, then lift them onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
