Chakli Recipe | Instant Chakli

Crispy, crunchy Chakli is probably my favorite snack of all the Diwali Faral recipes!

I love these with my tea, and they make such an excellent snack or a quick breakfast option.

In this post, I'm sharing how to make the instant chakli recipe without bhajani flour.

What is chakali

Chakli is a deep-fried, savory snack shaped like a spiral with small spikes.

It is also known as Chakri in Hindi, Chakali in Marathi, and Murukku in Southern India.

There are various types of chaklis based on the flour used, like wheat flour chakli, jowar flour chakali, tandalachi chakli (rice flour chakali), and the classic bhajanichi chakli.

My mom and Aaji always made the traditional Maharashtrian chakali recipe with bhajani flour, a mix of rice, lentils, cumin, and coriander seeds that are washed, air-dried, and then ground into flour.

With time, my mom gradually started making the Instant chakli version, which I'm sharing in today's post.

The instant one takes away the additional steps of washing, drying, roasting, and grinding, replacing them with ready-to-use flours (rice flour and besan) without compromising taste or texture.

To make or shape the chaklis, we will need a chakli press or chakali press. These are readily available in the Indian markets or online.

The recipe is as easy as mixing the flours, spices, and seeds with hot ghee, then making a dough with hot water.

Insert a portion of the dough into the chakali maker and then rotate the handle or press to make spirals.

These spirals are then deep-fried until golden and drained to get crispy chakli.

They have a great shelf life, so make these a few weeks in advance for Diwali!

Recipe Ingredients

• Flour - Rice flour and besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)
• Spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, hing (asafoetida), and salt.
• Seeds - carom seeds (ajwain), cumin seeds (zeera), and white sesame seeds (til)
• Fat - Oil, ghee, or butter. This helps make the chakli crispy. Always add hot. I've used ghee.
• Oil - for frying. I prefer using peanut oil.
• Water - Use hot water for making the dough.
• Chakli press - This is the tool we will use to make/shape the chaklis. I got mine from India, but linking a similar kind like mine Brass chakli press or a stainless steel chakli press.

Step by step method

To make the dough

1 - In a large mixing bowl, sift the rice flour and gram flour.

2 and 3 - To it, add the spices (red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, hing (asafoetida), and salt) and seeds (carom seeds (ajwain), cumin seeds (zeera), and white sesame seeds (til)). Mix with a spoon (or spatula) to combine.

4. Heat ghee (or oil) on the stove top or microwave and add to this dry mix.

5 -Incorporate the ghee(oil) into the flour using a spoon first (since it's hot) and then go in with your hands. It will form a crumbly texture, and the color will change to orangish-yellow.

6 and 7 - Boil the water and use it, a little at a time, to knead into a firm, pliable dough (not too tight or too loose). Used approximately half a cup of hot water. You may need a few tablespoons more.

8 - Rest for 5-10 mins by covering with a wet cloth. Don't rest for too long, or it may dry out. 

To make chakali

9 - Give the rested dough a quick knead one more time and then divide into two equal portions (portions can vary depending on the size of your chakli maker)

10 - Take the chakli press and add the star disk to it so it's flat and seals the bottom.

11 and 12 - Add one portion of the dough, press so it fits inside the tube. Close and tightly secure the lid/handle of the chakli maker.

Use a silicon mat or line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper, or cut individual parchment paper squares for each chakali. This makes transferring to oil easy.

13 - Press the chakli press to squeeze out the dough and then move in a circular motion to make spirals.

14 - Make about 4-5 spirals, close to each other, for each chakli.

15 - Break the dough and seal the outside and inside edges (i.e., the start and end) to prevent them from opening while frying.

16 - Continue similarly pressing the remaining chakalis. Keep them covered with a wet cloth to prevent drying. Makes 7-8 chaklis, each with 4-5 rounds, from one portion.

To fry:

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then test the temperature by adding a small piece of the dough. It should rise gradually over a few seconds, indicating the oil is ready.

If it rises too fast, the oil is very hot. If the dough sits at the bottom, the oil is still cold.

Line a baking tray or plate with a paper towel and keep it ready.

17 - Using a spatula, gently lift the chaklis and slide them into the hot oil. Fry 3-4 pieces of chakali or as many as the pan can hold without overcrowding. Keep the remaining chaklis covered so they dont dry out.

18 - Fry on medium-low heat until golden. Adjust heat as needed.

19 and 20 - Drain and then transfer to the lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep similarly frying the remaining chaklis.

Crispy and crunchy chaklis are ready!!

Storage

Allow the chaklis to cool completely; they will harden further as they cool. Store airtight at room temperature.

When stored right, they can easily last for weeks or even a month.

Recipe tips and notes

For the dough:

• For those crispy, crunchy chaklis, add hot fat (oil, ghee, or butter) to the dough and incorporate it into the flour before kneading.
• Please don't skip the seeds; they had a nice crunch and flavor. In addition, ajwain aids digestion too.
• For spicier chakali, add some more chili powder. Taste a small portion of the dough to check.
• Keep the dough and uncooked chaklis covered at all times with a wet cloth to prevent them from drying.

Shaping or making chaklis

• Use a chakali maker or chakli press. I got mine from India, but there are many varieties available online and in local Indian stores.
• Ensure the dough is firm yet pliable (not too tight, crumbly, or loose). Don't rest it for long.
• If the dough is too tight and breaks easily while piping, add a couple of teaspoons of water, knead, and try again. Less water will cause the chakali to break while piping. Some strands will break occasionally, and that's ok. I add them back to the dough.
• If the dough is too soft or moist, add some more rice flour (a tablespoon at a time), knead, and try again. Too much moisture will make the dough soft and cause the chakali to lose shape.
• Making those perfect circles is not difficult at all and can be mastered with some practice and patience.
• If you find it challenging to make spirals, make small 2- to 3-inch lines instead. These are known as tukda chakali and taste just the same, though they are bite-sized and not round.

Frying:

• Fry on medium to medium-low heat and at the right temperature. Test with a small portion of the dough first. When the oil is sufficiently hot, the chakli will gradually sizzle and rise to the top. If the oil is not hot, it will sink to the bottom.
• Frying at a high temperature will cause the outside to brown quickly and the inside to remain uncooked, resulting in unpleasant results like being crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Similarly, frying at low temperatures will turn them hard, not crispy.
• Always test the oil temperature before frying the next batch.
• Check the first batch of chakli before frying all of your dough. If the chakli appears to have absorbed oil or breaks in the oil, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice flour to the dough at a time, kneading after each addition. When you're sure the dough is perfect, only then fry the next batch of chakli in the hot oil.

FAQ's

More Diwali Faral recipe

• Karanji
• Rava Ladoo
• Poha Chivda
• Sweet Shankarpali