New dresses, a squeaky-clean interior and broad smiles on everyone denote typical festive spirit in every Indian household. Added to this, food takes centre stage, with everyone helping in the kitchens to make their favourite sweet or savoury to relish for the day!
One such savoury thulped during Diwali especially is chakali! It’s widely made in different parts of India and goes by ‘mullu murukku’ in Tamil and ‘mullu murukulu’ in Telugu. We agree that helping your grandmothers and mothers in kitchens by pressing the chakli bhajani into the equipment or tasting them ahead of everyone will be your cherished memories! If you are trying it out for this Diwali and want to make it instantly read how Suhana’s chakli bhajani and masala come to your rescue!
Why use Suhana Chakali Bhajani and Chakli Masala?
Suhana Masala, to help you add magic to all your recipes, has all the traditional ingredients like rice flour, Bengal gram (chickpea) and black gram (urad dal), green gram dal, red gram dal, ajwain, common salt, cumin, sesame, coriander, chilli, asafoetida, and turmeric in the Suhana chakli bhajani peeth. Our one 500 g pack will yield 50 to 55 chaklis if made in regular to medium-shaped chaklis.
Add our chakli masala, which has chilli, sesame, ajwain and salt to make your chaklis extra yummy and hot. Mix it with butter or ghee before adding to the dough or fry for two to three minutes in oil. This will help the masala release the natural aroma and get a rich colour, making your chaklis flavourful and colourful, too!
Step-by-Step Chakli Recipe
The usual way to make chakli is:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup urad dal flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup curd
- Water, as needed
Today, you can make chaklis instantly with Suhana’s chakli bhajani peeth! Here’s how you make chaklis with Suhana chakli bhajani peeth and masala:
- 1 cup chakli bhajani peeth
- Two tablespoon chakli masala
- Salt to your taste
- Water as required
- Oil for frying
- Combine chakli bhajani, masala, salt and water in a large bowl.
- Add water in intervals to achieve the right consistency and knead to form a soft dough.
- Place the dough in a chakli press, which will be star-shaped.
- Heat oil in a deep pan and keep it medium-hot.
- Press the dough into the hot oil in a spiral shape.
- Fry the chaklis until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the chaklis from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Let the chaklis cool before storing them in an airtight container.
Some Failproof Tips to make Chaklis
- If you want your chaklis to be crispier, apart from the chakli bhajani, add some urad dal flour of about two to three tablespoons. Restrict it only to this measure; if not, you may have chaklis too hard to eat or become shapeless.
- With your press, you can make only four to five chaklis at a time. Don’t add too many chaklis to the pan since the overcrowding will result in uneven frying.
- Check with the thermometer whether the oil is heated between 180 degrees Celsius to 190 degrees Celsius (360 degrees Fahrenheit to 375 degrees Fahrenheit). If not, add two to three balls to the oil to check if the oil is ready for frying.
- Add a little rice flour to your mix if you feel like chaklis are breaking in the oil due to heat. This will make the dough firm and easy to press.
What to Eat with Chakali?
Chakli tastes best on its own. Many, especially in South India, have this during the teatime in the afternoon. Indulge yourself with three to four chaklis with garam masala chai during a rainy afternoon! Even thinking of it can make your snack time better. Chakli also goes well with rice varieties like sambar, rasam, puliyogare and lemon, which can be seen in southern India.
Another way to enjoy this is by making chakli chaat. Chop onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and coriander, and add tamarind and mint chutney with lime juice. Now, break the chaklis into tiny pieces and add these to the chaat mix. Add chaat masala, kaala namak and enjoy it with cut mangoes too! Your little ones will love it if they want to try chaklis differently!
Diwali is just a few days away and are you ready to taste a slice of your childhood? Order chakli bhajani and chakli masala from our website today!
FAQs
What is chakali?
Chakali, or mullu murukku, is made from various dals, rice flour, chilli powder, ajwain and sesame seeds.
What are the ingredients of Suhana chakali bhajani?
You have ingredients like rice flour, Bengal gram (chickpea) and black gram (urad dal), green gram dal, red gram dal, ajwain, common salt, cumin, sesame, coriander, chilli, asafoetida, and turmeric in the Suhana chakli bhajani peeth.
How many chaklis can be made from 500gm chakli bhajani?
You can make around 50 chaklis if these are medium-shaped. If you want them to be more significant, you can make at least 25.
Are there different variations of chakali?
Many variations occur in making chakali since every family has its recipe, though the basics remain the same. A few add sesame; a few don’t. It’s all up to you to make them taste yummy!
Can I make chakali without a chakli press?
If you don’t have the chakli press at home, try swirling the dough in circles on a slotted spoon and then fry these!
What’s the key to getting the perfect spiral shape?
Your chakli dough has to be firm and not too watery. This is how you achieve the spiral shape.
How do I adjust the spiciness of chakali?
Add salt or more chakli bhajani or rice flour to adjust the spice levels!
Can I store Chakali?
Chaklis remain fresh for up to two weeks if stored in airtight containers.
How can I make gluten-free Chakali?
You can make gluten-free chaklis by replacing the traditional chakli bhajani with jowar flour.
Can I make chakali without deep frying?
Chakli tastes good only when it’s fried in oil. However, you can make it in an oven or air fryer with less oil.
What are some common variations of chakali?
You can add cashews and almonds to chakli if you want them to be crunchy!
How can I troubleshoot if my chakalis turn out too hard or soft?
Add a little butter if your chaklis are hard, and rice flour if too soft to avoid breaking.
Are there any special occasions or festivals associated with chakali?
Chaklis are usually made during Diwali and Janmashtami across India.
Can I freeze chakali dough for later use?
Yes, you can freeze the chakli dough. However, ensure to use it within two days of preparation.
How do I know when the oil is the right temperature for frying chakalis?
You can check with a thermometer or add two to three balls of the bhajani to know if the oil is hot enough to fry!