Bhajani Chakli recipe: A crunchy, traditional Maharashtrian snack for Diwali

New Delhi: Bhajani Chakli is a classic Maharashtrian snack which is crunchy and flavorful. This traditional Maharashtrian recipe has been passed through generations and is a staple snack to much during the festival of Diwali. Bhajani Chakli is made from a variety of roasted lentils and spices, grounded into a rough flour called bhajani. This mixture is then formed into spiral-shaped chaklis and deep-fried until crisp golden brown.

The bhajani mixture comprises chickpea flour, rice flour, and urad dal, and is mixed with aromatic spices such as cumin, coriander, and turmeric. As the spiral-shaped chaklis fry to perfection, the scent of roasted spices fills the air with festive vibes while testing our taste buds.

Bhajani Chakli recipe

Here is a step-by-step guide to making Bhajani Chakli at home for this festive season:

Ingredients:

For Bhajani:

• 1 cup chickpea flour (gram flour)
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 cup cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt, to taste

For Chakli:

• 2 cups bhajani mixture
• 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/4 cup water
• Oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. Roast the ingredients such as chickpea flour, rice flour, urad dal, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds separately until they start giving aroma.
2. Grind this roasted mixture to make a rough flour (bhajani).
3. Mix the bhajani with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt as per taste.
4. Add ghee and water to the bhajani mixture and knead to form a dough.
5. Cover this mixture and keep it for 30 minutes.
6. Grease the chakli maker and fill it with dough.
7. Press out the spirals onto small pieces of butter paper or directly into the oil.
8. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
9. Fry the chaklis until they turn golden brown.
10. Drain excess oil and store it in a tight box.

This crunchy snack is not only a delight for the tastebuds but also a display of the rich culinary heritage of Maharashtra. With the perfect balance of crunch, flavour, and texture the Bhajani Chakli is a must-try for those looking to satisfy their tastebuds and indulge in authentic Indian flavours.