November 8, 2015

Instant Chakli – Crispy, Deep-Fried Rice Flour Chakali

Happy Diwali Everyone!!!! The biggest & brightest festival of the year is finally upon us. It is the festival of bright lights, colors, delicious food and is celebrated in great zeal all over India. This diwali is extra special since it is going to be my first with my husband here in the US. So there is no better way to celebrate it than by making his favorite diwali snack “Instant Chakli – Crispy, Deep-Fried Rice Flour Chakali”.

Diwali !!

Like every other Indian I too have fond memories of celebrating Diwali with my loved ones back in Mumbai. The days preceding the festival were usually spent cleaning the house and most importantly making a variety of snacks. I miss those days when my sister and me would spend the entire day in the kitchen, helping mom making some truly delectable food. There was always the delicious aroma of desi ghee and cardamom wafting through our house. When diwali finally arrived we wore new clothes, did the pooja and drew rangolis. The evenings were all about lighting up the house with lamps and witnessing the dazzling fireworks, which lit up the sky.

This Diwali is going to be my first in my new home without my family. Even though I have my loving husband by my side I am definitely going to miss my family a lot. This is a new chapter in my life but I can definitely carry on the same traditions, which made Diwali so magical for me back in India. That means drawing rangolis and lighting up the apartment with lamps. (Just so you know I made my own lamps this time!!!!) That also means waking up early in the morning to perform the Diwali rituals. I so hate early mornings, but I can definitely make an exception for Diwali!!!

Crispy Deep-Fried Instant Rice Flour Chakli

Diwali celebrations cannot feel complete without the mouthwatering snacks. With India going global all these snacks are indeed available here in Dallas. But I firmly believe that nothing beats the taste of homemade food. So I am going to start by making chaklis. This crispy deep-fried snack is an absolute favorite of my husband’s to such an extent that I believe he is actually addicted to it (CHUCKLES). I definitely need to find a good place to hide some just to prevent him from polishing up the entire batch of chakalis at once.

HOW TO MAKE CHAKALI

There are actually two ways of making chakli. One is with the bhajanee flour (mixture of different flours) and the other is with rice flour. The first way is difficult since it involves a precise mixture of a variety of flours. I choose the easier second option which is rice flour chakli since this was my first time making them.

This is actually my mother-in-law’s recipe which Rahul has been enjoying pretty much all his life. Now its on the blog. A surefire way to keep both my husband and mother-in-law happy!!!!

How to make Dough for Chakli

In a bowl take rice flour, AP flour, sesame seeds, red chili powder, asafoetida, salt and mix. Add the hot oil and carefully mix with a spoon (you want your hands in good shape to eat these chaklis!!!!).

Once it is cool use your hands to mix everything together till it looks like breadcrumbs. Add hot water little at a time and mix with spoon. Knead slowly to form a soft dough. Its important to knead the dough properly to avoid breaking while frying. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Tips to make Dough

For crispy chaklis, add hot oil in the flour before kneading. Mix and rub it well using the fingers.
Ensure the dough is soft and pliable.
Cover the dough with plate or wet cloth to prevent it from drying.

How to shape the Chakli

Now here comes the fun part.. Rahul was struggling mightily with it so I had to show him how its done…

Grease the chakali maker with water. Stuff a portion of the dough inside and close it tightly. On an aluminum foil, twist the handle of the chakali maker, moving your hands in a circular motion to get a spiral shaped chakli. Break the dough towards the end and pinch the tip to close the chakli.

If your chakli is breaking while shaping ?

Dough is tough. Less water will cause the chakali to break while shaping. Add some water (a tablespoon at a time) and knead the dough again. You need a soft pliable dough.

This is the easier part of this recipe so I felt confident enought to let Rahul handle it.. (Smiling devilishly)

I have made this recipe exactly the way my mother-in-law made it, but i know for sure that it will never taste like hers.

Frying Chakli

Heat oil on a medium heat in a deep frying pan and drop a piece of dough into the oil. Gently slide the chakli into the oil and fry the chakli till golden brown on each side. Drain on absorbent paper. Let the chakalis cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container.

Tips for Frying Chakli

Fry on medium heat.
Drop a piece of dough to test the oil temperature before frying. If the dough gradually rises up then the oil is ready.

If your chakli does not hold the shape while frying

There is too much moisture. Add some more rice flour a tablespoon at a time and try again.

If your chakali is oily ?

The temperature of oil is low. Heat the oil up to a higher temperature.

Chaklis are not crispy but chewy and soft.

Chakali hardens once cooled. Let it cool down completely.

How to make chakli without chakli maker?

Sorry, Unfortunately you cannot! You need a chakli maker to make chaklis. I got mine from India. You can easily buy this at your local Indian Store or online.

I can’t get the spiral shape of the chakli

Making those perfect shape is not difficult and can be mastered with practice.

How to store chaklis ?

Allow the chaklis to cool completely before storing. Store in an air tight container at room temperature. Stays well for a month

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