Chakli

I have been away for a little more than a fortnight - totally unplanned ! My apologies for the disappearing act. The first week I was fighting some terrible allergies and a crabby mood, which I promise came with the allergies. The second week just flew by as one of my very close friends was visiting. We had a great time but I missed blogging!! Am glad to be back, I missed being here- hope you guys missed me too ;)

Chakli has always been a people pleaser. I think I have yet to meet someone who does not like this crunchy savory snack. For my friends who are wondering what I am talking about: chakli is a traditional south Indian fried savory snack. It is crunchy, salty, and once you start eating them you cannot stop.  You can try it at any Indian grocery store, but I assure you they are not as delectable as home made. At the store they are usually bite sized and hard. I must confess I have been guilty of getting the store bought ones - only during chakli emergencies!!

Traditionally chakli is made by soaking the rice for a few hours, drying it on a cheese cloth and roasting the rice on low flame in small batches. Urad daal is washed not soaked to remove any white powder and then wiped and roasted on low flame in small batches. Allowed to cool and then ground into a chakli flour. The result is chakli that melts in your mouth. My other half's grandma was famous for her mouthwatering melt in your mouth chakli - the likes of which I have never seen since. To pass her quality standards was not a joke!! It is a pity that traditional foods are being replaced by packet goods... Money can buy those but what it cannot buy is the love that grandma put in her food. I Would love to hear about the traditional foods in your homes!!



Great for snacks with chai or with a cocktail. It goes very well with Indian beer, which has a malty taste. It also pairs well with Porter, this is again a malty flavoured beer more like roasted malt or strong coffee. You could serve chakli with some pepper jack and Port Wine after a flavourful Indian meal or even with the meal. It is a very versatile snack so get creative.

4 cups rice flour

1 cup urad dal flour

4tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp cumin seed

1/4 tsp asafoetida

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

water for mixing

Roast the rice flour and urad dal flour seperately on a low flame in small batches. Keep aside to cool

Roast the sesame. Mix all the dry ingredients, add 1/4 cup of hot oil to the dry ingredients and mix it with a dry fork, add water and make a soft dough but not sticky.

Heat oil in a pan.

Fill the appropriate amount of the dough into the chakli maker - with the right cutter. mould out round shapes on the back of a plate. If the dough is too hard and chakli making is turning out to be a upper body workout, add more water with hot oil. If the chalki is crumbling again more water and oil.

Drop the chakli in hot oil one at a time. Remove after they are a light shade of brown. Enjoy !!