Munchy Chickpea Flour Spirals with Sesame Seeds
CHAKLI
-Recipe from Yamuna mataji
This snack could easily become as popular as pretzels. It is a crunchy
spiral, made from roasted chickpea flour and rice flour, shaped by
forcing soft dough through a star-shaped nozzle or disk. A seviya
machine is used to shape this and several other fried snacks in this
chapter. It is available at Indian grocery stores. Because any star
shape will do, you can also use a pastry bag fitted with a 5-star
nozzle or a continuous-flow cookie gun, like the sawa, available
through the William Sonoma mail order catalogue.
Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 20 minutes
Frying time: 15 minutes
Makes: about 24 chaklis
1 ½ cups (145 g) sifted chickpea flour
(Sifted before measuring)
½ cup (80 g) coarse rice flour or ground rice
1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml) salt
1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml) cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) yellow asafetida powder (hing)
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) baking soda
¼ cup (40 g) sesame seeds
3 tablespoons (45 ml) grated fresh coconut
Or dry coconut, unsweetened
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
¾ cup (180 ml) water
Ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying
This amount applies only to yellow Cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths.
1.
Place the chickpea flour in a heavy pan over moderate heat and
dry-roast, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the color
darkens one or two shades.
2. Transfer to a large
bowl, add the rice flour, salt, cayenne, asafetida, baking soda, sesame
seeds and coconut, and stir to mix. Pour in the oil and then rub
between your palms until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add
the water and work into a soft dough (similar in texture to cold mashed
potatoes) that can easily be forced through a star nozzle. If
necessary, add sprinkles of flour or water. Divide the dough into 2 or
3 portions.
3. Brush oil on the inside of one of
the suggested utensils and add a portion of dough. Line a baking tray
with aluminum foil and brush the foil with vegetable oil. Starting at
the center and using steady pressure, force the dough out of the
utensils in a continuous outward spiral until the diameter is 2 inches
(5 cm). Shape all the chaklis in this way.
Heat 2 ½ inches (6.5 cm)
of ghee or oil in a karai or deep-frying pan over moderate heat until
the temperature reaches 335 F (170 C). Using a spatula, transfer 8-10
chakli spirals to the hot oil, or as many as will float on the surface
without crowding. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crispy and
golden brown. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels.
Fry the remaining pieces in this way. Serve at room temperature. Can be
stored in an air-tight container for 2-3 weeks.