A spiral shaped savoury Indian snack enjoyed at tea time or to curb hunger pangs. Chaklis are commonly prepared during the festival season with a dough made from various flours, spices, oil, water and salt. The dough is passed through a mould to form spiral shapes, deep fried till light golden brown and crispy. These spiral treats are tasty and crunchy.
As chaklis are readily available at the supermarkets, I never tried making them until my youngest sister Jacqueline gifted me with the maruti easy kitchen press. My second son loves crunchy foods and chaklis are his all-time favourite snack. The first time I tried making chaklis using the press, my husband saw me struggling while I tried to get the shape right. He showed me an easy technique which I follow till today. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using the press, force the dough down into a 12" straight line onto the parchment paper. With your fingers, turn the straight line inward, then gently keep turning the outer edge till you reach the end. Once you do a couple, the process is easy, especially with the parchment paper below, shaping into a spiral with your fingers is a breeze. Ensure to keep the length of the line uniform to achieve same size chaklis. I use the width of the baking tray as the length. The dough has to be pliable and perfect, so follow my recipe to the tee. If the dough is dry and crumbly, it will break when shaping. Too much oil in the dough, the chaklis will break when frying. Less oil and chaklis will be hard. I have indicated the exact amount of oil, water and salt to be used. When transferring chaklis into the hot oil, use a spatula to lift and lower.
When frying, oil should be kept on medium heat, sufficiently hot before adding the chaklis or else they will absorb too much oil and be soggy. If oil is too hot, the chaklis will crisp up on the outside with a raw interior or even burn with a bitter after taste. To test if oil is at the right temperature, drop a tiny pinch of dough into the hot oil. If it sizzles and comes up right away, then the oil is ready for frying. Chaklis are cooked and ready to be taken out when the oil stops bubbling and becomes steady.
As chaklis are readily available at the supermarkets, I never tried making them until my youngest sister Jacqueline gifted me with the maruti easy kitchen press. My second son loves crunchy foods and chaklis are his all-time favourite snack. The first time I tried making chaklis using the press, my husband saw me struggling while I tried to get the shape right. He showed me an easy technique which I follow till today. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using the press, force the dough down into a 12" straight line onto the parchment paper. With your fingers, turn the straight line inward, then gently keep turning the outer edge till you reach the end. Once you do a couple, the process is easy, especially with the parchment paper below, shaping into a spiral with your fingers is a breeze. Ensure to keep the length of the line uniform to achieve same size chaklis. I use the width of the baking tray as the length. The dough has to be pliable and perfect, so follow my recipe to the tee. If the dough is dry and crumbly, it will break when shaping. Too much oil in the dough, the chaklis will break when frying. Less oil and chaklis will be hard. I have indicated the exact amount of oil, water and salt to be used. When transferring chaklis into the hot oil, use a spatula to lift and lower.
When frying, oil should be kept on medium heat, sufficiently hot before adding the chaklis or else they will absorb too much oil and be soggy. If oil is too hot, the chaklis will crisp up on the outside with a raw interior or even burn with a bitter after taste. To test if oil is at the right temperature, drop a tiny pinch of dough into the hot oil. If it sizzles and comes up right away, then the oil is ready for frying. Chaklis are cooked and ready to be taken out when the oil stops bubbling and becomes steady.
Chakli
(Yields 70)
You will need a press with a single star disc
Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
1 cup split bengal gram (chana dal) (dry roast lightly & grind to a fine powder)
1/2 cup split black gram (urad dal) (dry roast lightly & grind to a fine powder)
3 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 to 2 teaspoons chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup oil
2 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
oil for deep frying
Method:
Sift the three flours, combine with all the spices, oil and salt. Add 2 cups water and mix to form a dough. If required, add remaining 1/4 cup of water, little at a time till the dough is soft and pliable, slightly sticky to the touch. (The dough should not be dry as it will break when pressing through the mould.)
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Take a ball and shape into a log. Place it into the chakli mould using the single star disc. Press dough into a 12" straight line onto the parchment paper. Using your fingers, turn the line inward, gently turning the outer edge till you reach the end to achieve a spiral shape. (Read the write-up above for detailed instructions.)
Heat oil on medium flame for deep frying.
Using a silicone brush, lightly grease the inside of the chakli mould including the star disc.
When hot, use a steel spatula to transfer chaklis from the baking tray into the hot oil. (I use a deep wide pot and fry 10 at a time.) Once in the hot oil, do not touch them until they come up to the surface. With a slotted spoon, turn them and fry till light golden brown. Chaklis are cooked when the oil stops bubbling and becomes steady. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
(Yields 70)
You will need a press with a single star disc
Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
1 cup split bengal gram (chana dal) (dry roast lightly & grind to a fine powder)
1/2 cup split black gram (urad dal) (dry roast lightly & grind to a fine powder)
3 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 to 2 teaspoons chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup oil
2 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
oil for deep frying
Method:
Sift the three flours, combine with all the spices, oil and salt. Add 2 cups water and mix to form a dough. If required, add remaining 1/4 cup of water, little at a time till the dough is soft and pliable, slightly sticky to the touch. (The dough should not be dry as it will break when pressing through the mould.)
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Take a ball and shape into a log. Place it into the chakli mould using the single star disc. Press dough into a 12" straight line onto the parchment paper. Using your fingers, turn the line inward, gently turning the outer edge till you reach the end to achieve a spiral shape. (Read the write-up above for detailed instructions.)
Heat oil on medium flame for deep frying.
Using a silicone brush, lightly grease the inside of the chakli mould including the star disc.
When hot, use a steel spatula to transfer chaklis from the baking tray into the hot oil. (I use a deep wide pot and fry 10 at a time.) Once in the hot oil, do not touch them until they come up to the surface. With a slotted spoon, turn them and fry till light golden brown. Chaklis are cooked when the oil stops bubbling and becomes steady. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels.
Cool and store in an airtight container.