Instant Chakli made with rice flour. This popular Indian snack is crispy, crunchy and best enjoyed with a cuppa chai!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 40 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 70 minutes
  • Yield: 25 chaklis
  • Category: Snack
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice flour (147 grams)
  • 1/4 cup besan (27 grams, also known as chickpea flour)
  • 1/4 cup maida (32 grams, also known as all purpose flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (or adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ajwain (also known as carom seeds)
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • generous pinch hing (also known as asafetida)
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (or I used Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend)
  • salt (to taste, around 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon)
  • 2.5 tablespoons oil (should be hot)
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
  • lukewarm water (to knead the dough, around 1/2 cup)
  • oil (for frying, I used vegetable oil)

Method

  1. In a large bowl mix together rice flour, besan (chickpea flour) and maida (all purpose flour).
  2. Add in the red chili powder, ajwain (carom seeds), turmeric powder, hing (asafetida), white sesame seeds (or a mix of seeds like I used Trader Joe's Everything But Bagel Seasoning) and salt. Mix until well combined.
  3. Add hot oil to the flour and rub in using your finger until flour mix resembles crumbs.
  4. Press a bit of flour between your palm it should come together and not crumble. If it crumbles, means you need to add more oil. If it holds its shape and bind well, means the oil is just perfect.
  5. Then add a tablespoon of plain yogurt and mix well.
  6. Start adding water little by little to knead all of it to a smooth and soft dough. I used around 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
  7. Cover the dough and let it rest for around 20 minutes. After the dough has rested, grease the chakli press with oil and then add the dough into it. I used a star tip to pipe the chakli.
  8. Start piping the chakli on parchment paper. Press the dough using the chakli maker and form concentric circles. If dough is breaking add little more water, knead again and then try.
  9. Snap the dough after you have have 3-4 spiral rounds. Seal the dough by pinching the ends. You may use little water to seal. Make all chaklis like this, keep them covered so that they don't dry out. You will get around 20-25 chaklis.
  10. Heat oil on medium heat in a kadai/wok. To check the temperature of oil, drop a piece of dough, it should come up gradually. If it comes up too quickly quickly- the oil is too hot and your chaklis won't turn crispy.
  11. Add chaklis to the oil, one at a time. and do not over crowd the kadai. Fry in batches of 4 to 5.
  12. Fry on medium heat until the chakli turns golden brown in color.
  13. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Let the chakli cool completely and then store in air tight container. Enjoy with chai!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.