Baked Chakari/Chakali/Murukku

Chakari is a very popular dry snack in Gujarat....not just Gujarat, it is famous in southern part of india also. Every region has different name and different recipe. I like every kind of chakari. Though my favourite is made by my mom. I used to eat it a lot during my hostel days. I also learned how to make, once I came to US. But for the first time yesterday, I made baked chakari, instead of fried one...

Ingredients:

2 cup rice flour

1 cup maida (all purpose flour)

4-5 tbsp melted butter

2 tsp sour cream (optional)

1/2 cup curd

2 tbsp ginger chili paste

1 tbsp til (sesame seeds, I like them, so I added more)

1-2 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder

salt as per taste

oil for frying (optional)

Instrument:

You will need an instrument call sev no sancho as shown in picture below. It has different attachment, use the attachment for chakari .(it has one star shape hole in the centre)

Take one big bowl to knead the dough. Take both kind of flour in the bowl. Add all the dry spices ,ginger chili paste, sessme seeds and salt. Mix them well by your hand. Add butter and sour cream and then rub the flour by hand. At last knead the dough with the use of curd and some water. Dough should not be too firm or too loose. I used luke warm water to knead the dough.

For Baking

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Take one big baking tray and line it with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Make chakari with use of sancho and put it in the oven to bake. Bake it for 15 minutes and then turn it around. Again bake it for around 10-15 minutes. Chakari should be a very very light brown in color. Take them out and store in airtight container.

Make sure you put chakari directly in the baking tray, otherwise it will be very difficult to put chakari in baking tray without breaking it.

For Deep frying

Heat oil for frying in frying pan. Make chakari with use of sancho and put them on paper. (if you use newspaper,It will be easy to lift) Put chakari in batches in frying pan and fry them until golden brown, on slow flame. Take them out and drain out excess oil on absorbent paper. Store them in air tight container.

Note

I made baked chakari first time. It does not same taste like fried one though it was not bad also. (normally my fried chkaris are cruncy outside and soft inside, but this baked one are not soft inside) So it is upto you to decide...