Chakli or Chakri Spirals South Indian Snack
Chakli or Chakri South Indian Snack
Sushma Agarwal
This crunchy, spicy snack looks like small Catherine wheels. It originates in south India but is now popular all over India. You can make it in bulk and store for weeks.
Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1 cup mung/moong dal flour or urad/urid dal flour or gram flour (besan)
50 gm. butter
1/2 tsp. asafoetida or hing powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder for colour
3 tsp. chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp white sesame seeds (til)
Oil for deep frying. Coconut oil is often used in South India, but you can use other oils.
Chakli maker
Instructions
Place all the flours, butter, asafoetida, chilli powder, turmeric, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and make a chapatti like dough. It should not be too firm, or you will have difficulty in pressing it out of the chakli maker.
Heat oil in a karahi or wok to medium hot. A piece of dough dropped in it should sizzle to the top but not too fast. They need to cook slowly to be crisp, not in smoking hot oil.
Use the star shape disc of your sev/chakli maker.
Put dough in the chakli maker tube. Press firmly, with circular motion, piping the dough into small coils onto a greased paper or aluminium foil or a tray. Make about 8-10 at a time.
Now peel them off like ?vadas? and drop them into the hot oil.
They will sizzle and rise to the top. When one side stops frothing, turn over and cook the other side. They should be golden/medium brown, not too dark not too light.
While this batch is cooking, make the next batch, ready for frying.
Lift out with a perforated spoon and leave to drain on an absorbent paper. Allow to cool completely.
Keep in an airtight container.