MAIDA CHAKKLI

It's DIWALI time and time for making ,gifting and eating lots of sweets and savories!
I started the preparations by making CHAKLI. But this time I made a chakli from Maida/All purpose flour. I MUST mention here that I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law.
I like this as it is very easy to make and is doesn't require too much of kneading and butter or oil as  required in other chalki recipes.

Try it and do let me know if you liked it.

HAPPY CHAKLI MAKING  :)


YOU WILL NEED
500 maida/all purpose flour which is almost 4 cups
280 ml of water
1 1/2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp til seeds/sesame seeds
1 3/4 tsp salt
oil for frying

I prefer frying all these snacks in ground nut oil as I have found out they remain fresh for a longer time as compared to sunflower oil. You can store these for more than 10 -12 days in an air tight container. When fried in sunflower oil it starts smelling a bit  after 5-6 days.

PREPARATION

• Tie the maida in a clean cloth and pressure cook till you get 4 whistles (or as much time you need to cook rice in your cooker. 
  
• When pressure reduces untie the cloth and transfer the flour to a large plate.  It will be in the form of a large lump. 
  
• Allow to cool and break the lumps and sieve the flour.
• 
  
• I used a flat bottomed katori/bowl to break the lumps but maybe a potato masher can also be used.
  
  
  
  
• Repeat the process till all the flour is free from lumps.(You can discard the last portion of lumps.)
  

Add jeera/cumin, til/sesame ,salt and water and knead into a soft dough.

Do not knead very hard.  It is enough if you get a soft ball of dough.

• Keep oil for heating in a deep frying pan.
• Fill the Chakli making machine with the dough and makepress them into circles on a piece of paper.

• You can directly press the chakli in the oil but  I prefer to first press them on paper and then fry , to get uniform shaped circles. Press the outside end properly or it the ring will open up while frying.
• Slide the chaklis in the oil and fry till they turn crisp.
  
• These chaklis will not turn golden brown but you can know the end point by seeing the oil.

• It will stop foaming when the chaklis are done.   

ENJOY THESE CRISPY WHITE CHAKLIS!

CHAKLI AND KODBALE

Both these fried snacks can be stored and munched anytime of the day!

                                        CHAKLI

INGREDIENTS
4 cups rice flour 
1 cup putani /Bhuna chane ka daal flour (roasted bengal gram)
(Putani powder can easily be made in the mixie)
1 -2 tsp red chilly powder
1tsp til (sesame seeds)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

METHOD
In a wide bowl add all the ingredients, except oil and mix well. Heat about 3-4 tbsp of oil and add to the flour mixture. Mix well to form a crumbling consistency. You can taste this mixture now and make the necessary adjustments for salt and spiciness. Slowly add water and knead in to a soft stiff dough. The dough should not be too soft or it will take too much of oil while frying.

Fill this dough in the chakli machine and press into round shaped chaklis on a sheet of paper.                                                                                       

CHAKLI MAKING MACHINE

 This is an old type of machine. Many new varieties are now available in the market.

Heat oil in a kadai.( Deep frying pan ). Add a small piece of dough to check if the oil is ready for frying. If so the dough will come to the top. Now slowly slide the chaklis in the oil. Do not add too many at a time. There must be enough space for the chaklis to float around. Reduce the flame from medium to slow and fry till the chaklis turn golden brown. (Meanwhile keep the next batch of chaklis ready for frying). Remove them from the pan and keep aside on a tissue paper. Allow them to cool and store in an air tight container.

      KODBALE 

INGREDIENTS

4 cups  rice flour

1 cup putani powder (roasted bengal gram)

1 cup  grated fresh coconut

5-6 dry red chillies

1 tsp til (sesame seeds)

1 tsp jeera (cumin)

A pinch of hing(asafoetida)

salt to taste

Oil for frying

METHOD

Mix the rice flour,putani powder,til, jeera and salt in a wide bowl. Heat a ladle full of oil and add to the above mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Grind the coconut, red chilies and hing by adding a small amount of water. Add this to the flour mixture and mix well.Slowly add water in small quantities to form a dough. The dough will be soft but crumbly.

 (If too much water is added  ,the kodbales will be soft and not crispy after frying!)

Take a small portion of this dough, keep it on a flat surface and rub well with the palm of your hand. The dough now becomes smooth and pliable.

Make lemon sized balls from this dough and roll into  long cylindrical shapes. Now turn them into small bangle shapes. Press the edges. 

Heat oil in a frying pan and carefully slide the rings  into the oil. Fry first in medium heat and then simmer. Remove when golden brown in colour. Allow them to cool and store in an air tight container.

If it is fried in high heat, the outer portion will turn brown but the inner portion remains raw. If the heat is too low in the beginning, the rings will disintegrate.