Crispy deep-fried spiral-shaped savoury snack made from a mix of rice flour and urad dal flour, seasoned with cumin and sesame seeds. Made in large batches during Diwali and stored for weeks.
Ingredients
2 cups rice flour
1/4 cup urad dal flour (dry roast urad dal, cool and grind to fine powder — or buy ready-made)
2 tbsp oil (heated to near-smoking — this is the mohan that makes chakli crispy)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp asafoetida
salt to taste
warm water — about 1/2 to 3/4 cup
oil for deep frying
Method
Make urad dal flour (if making fresh): Dry roast 1/4 cup urad dal in a pan on low heat for 4 minutes until light golden and fragrant. Cool completely. Grind to a very fine powder. Sieve through a strainer. Fresh urad dal flour gives better flavour than store-bought.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine rice flour and urad dal flour. Add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Add the hot oil (mohan): Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small pan until it is very hot — almost smoking. Pour it immediately into the flour mixture. Mix quickly and thoroughly with a spoon — the hot oil coats every grain of flour and is what makes the chakli extra crispy when fried. Let cool for 5 minutes before touching.
Form the dough: Add warm water to the flour and oil mixture in small amounts — add 2 tbsp, mix, then add more as needed. Knead gently until a smooth, firm dough forms. The dough should hold its shape when pressed and not crack excessively. Do not make it soft. Chakli dough should be firmer than chapati dough.
Load the chakli maker: A chakli maker is a cylindrical mould with a star-shaped disc. Place the star disc inside the mould. Fill the mould with the dough. Screw the end cap on tightly.
Extrude the spirals: Hold the chakli maker over a plate lined with plastic wrap. Press the handle and move the mould in a circular spiral motion — go around 3 to 4 times from the outside inward, forming a spiral about 7 cm in diameter. Release pressure and break off the strand by pressing it against the plate edge. If the dough cracks while coming out, it is too dry — add a few drops more water. If it spreads and cannot hold the spiral shape, it is too wet.
Heat oil for frying: Pour oil to 5 cm depth in a heavy pot. Heat to medium. Test by dropping a small piece of dough — it should rise within 2 seconds, not immediately brown.
Fry in batches: Using a flat spatula, gently slide 3 to 4 chaklis into the oil. Do not touch for 1 minute while they set. Then turn gently. Fry on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes total until light golden. They will harden more on cooling — do not fry until dark or they become bitter.
Drain and cool: Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Cool completely on a wire rack before stacking or storing.
Store: Once fully cool and crispy, store in an airtight container. They stay crispy for 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature.
Note: Chakli is made across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (where it is called murukku). In Maharashtra, Diwali is incomplete without chakli — families make kilograms of it in October-November to share with neighbours and relatives. The spiral shape is said to symbolise the Sudarshana Chakra (spinning disc) of Lord Vishnu. The Nashik region is particularly famous for its crispy chaklis.