Chakli

When i had just started to cook, i thought making stuff like chakli, nipattu and kodbale was only possible by experts who had years of cooking experience.To prove me wrong , Doordarshan telecast a cookery show which showed this easy recipe for chakli. I gave it a try albeit with a little apprehension, and was really happy with the outcome.Eversince i have tried different recipes from this category and have made a collection of them from different sources.So when i was wondering which one of these to post first, i felt the first one that i learnt from the Doordarshan show would be right, coz it rid me of my fear to try.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Maida
• 2 cups Rice flour
• 2 tspn Til (sesame seeds)
• 2 tspn Jeera (cumin seeds)
• Red chilli powder as per taste(I put 1 tblspn)
• Salt to taste
• 11/2 Tblspn Sugar dissolved in water
• 4 Tblspns Ghee
• Oil to fry

Special utensil required: Chakli Press available in Indian stores

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients first except the water.Then add water in which sugar is dissolved and make a dough.
2. Using the chakli press, fill the dough in parts into the chakli press and press the dough out in form of concentric circles onto a plastic paper.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in a Deep bottom Pan(kadai).The quantity of oil should be more to facilitate deep frying.
4. When the oil is reasonably hot( mind u! not very hot as this may burn the chaklis), add the chaklis into the oil and fry them till they are done. Remove them onto a Plate .
5. Allow to cool.Once cooled, store in a airtight container

Note: You may note that when the chaklis are done, they sink to the bottom of the pan.They can be taken out after this point.