A favourite, patiently waited for by some (you know who you are!), mouth watering, indulgent crunchy savoury snack …. Chakri are a crispy spiral shape Indian rice snack. It’s one of the ‘must have’ Diwali foods that I make over the festive period for my family and friends, who eagerly await their goody bag. I have been making chakri for years and have managed to create the perfect taste for my family – crunchy, a little tangy and spicy.

These delicious swirls take hours to make and minutes to demolish and although they are not the healthiest option they are definitely worth the indulgence. For years people have been asking me for the recipe. With Indian food, it really is about being intuitive and everything is about a bit of this, around that much ‘asree’ as we gujjus call it. But this year I’ve managed to weigh it out and created the recipe for you all.

Try the recipe and method out and let me know how you get on! Check out the recipes page for the Gluten free & Vegan version.

INGREDIENTS
2 Kilo rice flour
Juice of 2 lemons
3 Tablespoons ginger/chilli Paste
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp Aijwain or cumin seeds
150g melted butter
1 medium mashed potato
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Approx 500ml water to bind it with
1 litre of oil to fry with

METHOD:

MAKING THE DOUGH

Add all the ingredients in a bowl besides the water and mix together like a crumble mixture.

Add luke warm water little by little, be careful with water, you just want enough for the dough to bind and come together. If dry and crumbly you can add a few additional drops but if too sticky it means you have added excess water and your chakri will keep breaking which means you’d have to add more flour but that will alter the taste – so best to gradually add and judge as you go along.

Bind and Knead the dough well until you get a firm dough. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 10mins or so whilst you prep the oil.

MAKING THE CHAKRI

Heat some oil in a karahi or frying pan over medium heat, While the oil is heating prepare your chakris. Place a portion of the dough inside a chakri maker tighten the lid and move in rounds Motions to get a spiral shape. I spiral them directly onto my kitchen counter but you can also create on greaseproof paper so that they are easy to transfer to the oil for frying.

Frying is a skill in itself, here are some tips …

Before frying the chakris take a small piece of the dough and check the temperature of the oil. If the dough comes up gradually, then the oil is ready, if it sits at the bottom, the oil is still cold, if it comes up too quickly, the oil is too hot.

When oil is moderately hot, gently slide a few chakris in at a time using a flat spatula, don’t over crowd the pan whilst frying.

Fry them on both sides until they are golden brown, this should take 3-4 minutes
Remove and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Allow to cool before transferring to an air tight container.

This is what I love about seasonal events, being able to cook what people love and sharing my favourite recipes for you to try.

TO THE FOODIES:

If you haven’t been to one of my supper clubs yet please check out the events page!