CHAkli – Indian Svoury Snack

Chakli, Kodbale, Karigadubu, Obattu are all what makes any festival perfect, specially Ganesha Chathurthi. Ganesha known to have a big appetite is always offered all kinds of snacks, fruits and food. Hence Chakli and other snacks are made during this season. Chakli is an Indian savoury snack made of rice flour. It is deep fried and it just melts in the mouth.

As a kid I would sit with my Dodamma, my mum’s elder sister, and make these snacks prior to the festival. We would plan and prepare everything and keep the gas burner down on the floor and sit down and make Chakli, Kodbale, Nipattu, Kobbari mithai, Rave unde. It was so much fun sitting with my aunts and mom and listen to them talk. I was the only kid interested in cooking and they would teach me so patiently. Here is my Dodamma’s recipe that I still follow.

Ingredients

2 cups – Rice flour

1/2 cup – Urad dal

2 tbsps – Oil

1 tbsp – Jeera

1 tsp – Asafoetida (Hing)

1 tbsp – White sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Chakli press

1 Tbsp – Chilly powder if you like it spicy.

Method

Wash the urad dal well and pressure cook it along with a cup and half of water till the dal is well cooked.

Cooked really soft so that it can be mashed easily.

In a large bowl now take rice flour, cooled urad dal, jeera, asafoetida, sesame seeds, salt to taste and chilly powder if using.

Heat 2 Tbsps of oil and pour it over this.

Now mix everything so that it comes together well.

Taste it for salt.

Do not add more salt as it gets slightly saltier after frying.

Add water only and only if required. The cooked urad dal should be good enough to bind the flour. You may not require to add more.

The dough should be soft but not running.

Rest the dough only till the oil heats. Not more.

In a Kadhai heat the oil on a medium flame.

Drop a small amount of dough into it to check if the oil is hot. The dough should start bubbling and rise to the top and start floating.

Fill it in the chakli press and press it on a grease proof paper in spiral form. If you don’t have a traditional chakli press, use a piping bag.

Carefully turn it onto your palm and drop it into the hot oil.

When you drop the chakli into the oil the flame should be on high.

The moment you drop it, reduce the flame to low. This will ensure the chakli fries well from within and not brown the outer layer.

Fry it till it turns gold, drain it on a paper towel.

Store it in an airtight box and enjoy with your tea.

*My favourite way of having Chakli : have it along with a raw garlic and it tastes like heaven. That is only if you love raw garlic.