Chakli, Chakali a crunchy snack Bhajani Chakli

Chakli is a snack that is generally spicy and has a spiral shape. It is super crunchy and comes in different flavors; not all of them are spicy. Deep- frying makes it crunchier and gives Chakli its well-known taste. It is enjoyed in different states of India.

Different names for Chakli in different states refer to it.

Chakli in Marathi 

Dantikili in Oriya

Murukku in Tamil 

Chakkuli in Karnataka

Chakralu in Telugu

Chakri in Konkani & Gujarati

It has received love even in Indonesia, and there it is popular by the name 'Akar Kelapa.'

An amalgam of rice flour and Bengal gram flour is chickpea flour, and black gram flour that is locally referred to as urad dal is utilized to make regular Chakli. It is seasoned with different condiments.

What is chakli press?

Chakli press is kitchen equipment helpful in forming the well-known spiral shape that gives Chakli its identity. It is also recognized as a murukku maker.

Traditionally made with brass now it is available in different types of materials.

Consisting of two cylinders, one at the top has a handle on either side and one at the bottom, and it also has some plates with design.

The bottom cylinder is hollow, and the top one is solid, which can easily slide into the bottom one. Both the cylinders have handles. The base of the bottom cylinder has a mechanism that holds the designed plates.

Chakli dough is added into the hollow cylinder, and pressure is applied with the help of a solid cylinder. Do not forget to oil the equipment.

Types of Chakli

Depending based on flour and condiments, various types of Chakli are available. Few common types are soya chakli, bhajani Chakli, butter chakli, bajra chakli, potato chakli, and many more.

Bhajani Chakli

Bhajani Chakli is a Maharashtrian dish that the elders of the family pass down the generations.

Every household has its special recipe and procedure for making Chakli. Rice, along with other lentils like chickpea (Bengal gram), black gram (urad dal), and moong dal, are cleaned, dried, and roasted with cumin seeds and coriander seeds to utilize them as dough for making Chakli after grinding them.

The flour obtained is called bhajani which is later seasoned with carom seeds (ajwain), sesame seeds (til), and other spices.

There are two ways to make bhajani chakli flour. One is intricate, and the other is instant. You can even purchase bhajani flour from the market. No matter however you manage to get the flour, the procedure to make Chakli is the same.

Homemade chakli flour

1. After rice and other lentils are cleaned and dried, roast them in a cauldron until they are covered in a brown hue. Please do not mix them all; it is recommended to roast them individually.
2. In the same cauldron, roast cumin and coriander seeds.
3. If you have a powerful grinder, then grind it at home; otherwise, give it to a professional mill as most Indians give. Do not forget to sift the flour after grinding.
4. Grinding ingredients at home makes the flour more coarse as compared to grinding it at a professional mill. The coarse flour will require more water to form the dough. Make sure that the dough is neither stiff nor too soft. Consistency of the dough will affect the texture and crunchiness of the Chakli.

Instant chakli flour

1. To a cauldron, add rice flour, chickpea flour that is besan, and black gram flour, roast them well. Keep stirring while you roast them.
2. Later add ground and roasted cumin and coriander seeds to the blend.

Bhajani Chakli Recipe

Remember to sift the flour before making the dough. The amount of spice can be altered according to your spice tolerance. Add water slowly as per requirement. The ends of Chakli need to be secured to prevent them from breaking.

Make medium-sized spirals, neither too large nor too small. Oil needs to be hot before adding Chakli in it, this will avert the Chakli from breaking, but it will also take care that they absorb less oil.

1. To bhajani flour, add red chili powder, sesame seeds, salt, turmeric, and carom seeds. Knead the dough with the help of hot oil and hot water.
2. Taste the dough to check the level of spice and salt. Leave the dough covered in a moist towel to prevent it from drying.
3. In a cauldron, add oil and keep it on moderate heat.
4. Add star shape plate in the bottom cylinder of the chakli maker followed by chakli dough. Slide in the top cylinder and start applying pressure while rotating your hand in a spiral motion, don't forget to secure the ends.
5. After reassuring that the oil is hot, start adding Chakli into the oil. Once they have become crisp and have changed their color to golden brown on both sides, take them out and line them on a paper towel to do away with excess oil.
6. Before storing them, make sure that they have cooled down.

Other Chaklis

Potato chakli

Potato is the core ingredient of Potato chakli. It is incorporated with rice flour and all-purpose flour, which is locally referred to as maida. Potatoes are mashed while adding it to the flour. Seasoned using chili powder, salt, butter, and cumin seeds.

Methi Potato chakli is also known by the name potato murukku. chakli

Methi is translated as fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds and dried fenugreek leaves are known as kasoori methi, are used to make methi chakli. They are combined with rice flour and besan. Cumin seeds, chili powder, salt, and turmeric are used to season the Chakli. You can add sesame seeds as well.

Spinach chakli

Spinach is the primary ingredient here. Spinach is locally known as Palak; hence it is also known as palak chakli. It has a green hue due to the presence of palak. Spinach has a high iron content which makes this Chakli healthy. This is a good way of feeding palak to young ones.

Rava chakli

Rava translates as semolina and is the crucial ingredient in rava chakli. Rava must be softened before incorporating it with rice flour; both the ingredients must have equal proportions. It is later seasoned using chili powder, sesame seeds, turmeric, and salt. Make sure to put rava through the sieve; otherwise, Chakli will break while deep frying.

Poha chakli

Flattened rice, locally known as poha, is the primary ingredient of Poha chakli. Poha, along with gram (chana dal), is used after grinding. Make sure to sift rice flour along with poha and chana dal. Season it with chili powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, salt, and butter.

Ragi or Nachni chakli

Ragi or Nachni, known as finger millet, is the core ingredient of Ragi chakli. The dough for this Chakli is made using ragi flour and bajra flour (pearl millet) and seasoned with salt, cumin seeds, asafetida, and chili powder. Before kneading the flours into a dough, they need to be roasted. Making ragi in the form of Chakli makes it healthy and tasty.

Whole wheat flour chakli

Whole wheat flour is sifted along with rice flour and is accompanied by chili powder, salt, turmeric, cumin seeds, and asafetida. For this recipe, wheat flour and rice flour must be steamed in a pressure cooker by wrapping them in cloth. Locally it is known as aate ki chakli. It will have a brittle and crisp texture.

Maida chakli

Refined flour, locally known as Maida, is the core ingredient in this maida chakli. This version of Chakli is popular in Gujrat. Along with being light on the stomach, it is pretty flavorful and tasty. Maida is accompanied by black sesame seeds, carom seeds, and salt.

Moong dal chakli

Moong dal is the primary ingredient of this Chakli. A thin moong dal paste is made by steaming it in a pressure cooker and then passing it through a sieve. Later it is incorporated with rice flour and other seasonings such as sesame seeds, asafetida, and salt. This Chakli is less crunchy than regular Chakli.

Baked Chakli

If you keep yourself away from the mouthwatering Chakli only because it is deep-fried, then baked, Chakli is the best option for you. Very little oil is used in the process, and it can be baked in the oven. Any chakli can be converted into baked Chakli by eliminating the process of deep-frying and replacing it with baking.

Health Benefits

Most of the chakli recipes include rice flour; it is a good option for looking forward to having a gluten-free diet. Another main ingredient is urad dal. It is not only rich in calcium but also has an abundant source of phosphorous. Making it highly beneficial for our teeth and bone. It is diet-friendly. Carom seeds present in Chakli are best for solving problems related to digestion. The chances of stomach infection are lowered by the consumption of asafetida which is also present in Chakli.

Spinach chakli not only helps in improving immunity but also maintains nerve-muscle function and blood pressure.

Fenugreek or methi chakli is suitable for breastfeeding mothers as it helps in increasing the production of milk. Its appetite-controlling property makes it diet-friendly. It lowers both the cholesterol level as well as inflation.

Ragi chakli has proved to be beneficial for people suffering from mental health issues. It comprises natural relaxants like tryptophan and many other amino acids, which help deal with depression, anxiety, etc. It is also suitable for people who have diabetes. It is gluten-free.

Soya Chakli is lactose-free, which is ideal for people who are lactose intolerant. It is abundant in fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Its consumption improves blood circulation as it is free of cholesterol and has a low amount of saturated fat.

Moong dal chakli is packed with different vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium, and many more, which makes it super healthy. It is a good alternative for people on a diet as it has a high protein and fiber content.

Whole wheat flour chakli is suitable for people who are facing heart diseases. It is also beneficial for people with diabetes. It is also packed with various antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

Rava chakli is an instant source of energy. It is suitable for breastfeeding mothers as it stimulates the process of lactation. Along with being suitable for our nervous system, it is also beneficial in losing weight. It even takes care of our heart's health.

The presence of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium makes tomato chakli beneficial for our hearts. It is found suitable in dealing with cardiovascular diseases.

Festival and Chakli

Faral is a combination of different savory snacks that are made, especially during Diwali. Diwali is incomplete without faral. Chakli is the central part of faral. Everyone loves chakli, and often siblings get into a fight over the last piece of Chakli. Chakli is made few days before Diwali. It is a time when the older generation meets the younger generation.

Along with the recipe, many beautiful memories are created. Many of us will have some stories that are associated with chakli making. Hence, we can say that Chakli satisfies our hunger and taste buds and fills our hearts with love and our mind with sweet memories.

Storage and Shelf Life

Chakli needs to be kept away from moisture and air as it loses its crunchiness when it comes in contact with either one of them. So it is ideal to be stored in an air-tight container. Traditionally, it is stored in large brass or steel container, and newspaper is added before putting on the lid. It can last up to few months, but it is often observed that it gets finished within weeks as it is super tasty.