This month’s ICC featured a savory Gujarati snack chosen by Srivalli. The recipe comes from Lataji of the Flavours and Tastes blog. My husband and daughter enjoyed it; I reduced the red chili powder so our younger one could savor it. My pieces didn’t puff as much as I hoped — likely because they weren’t rolled thin enough — but the flavor was excellent. I’ll roll them thinner next time. Thanks to Valli for introducing this delicious treat from Gujarat.
Ingredients:
Gram flour (besan) – 2 cups
Urad dhal flour – 1 cup
Roasted moong dhal (ground to flour) – 1 cup
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Baking soda – 1/8 teaspoon
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Oil – 4 tablespoons (for pounding)
Oil – for deep frying
Black salt – 3 teaspoons
Red chili powder – 3 teaspoons (adjust to taste)
Procedure:
1. Dry-roast the moong dhal until lightly golden and grind it to a fine flour.
2. Sieve the roasted moong flour together with gram flour, urad dhal flour and baking soda to remove lumps and ensure even mixing.
3. Roast the salt briefly (this reduces moisture) and add it to the mixed flours. Add the ghee and combine thoroughly so the mixture is evenly coated.
4. Gradually add water (I used a little less than 1 cup) and knead into a stiff dough. Add water slowly — too much water will make the final snack absorb excess oil and become soggy.
5. Divide the dough into small lemon-sized portions and keep them covered to prevent drying.
6. Lightly oil the surface where you’ll pound the dough. Add a little oil to each portion and pound it with a pestle until soft and smooth. You can do this in a mortar or on a countertop. Avoid adding too much oil, which makes the pieces greasy.
7. After pounding, divide each portion into small balls again and keep covered while you work.
8. Oil the counter and rolling pin, then roll each ball into a very thin circle. Thinner discs tend to puff better and turn crispier when fried.
9. Cut the rolled discs into small rectangles or your preferred shape.
10. Fry the pieces in hot oil in batches until they turn golden brown and crisp. Fry evenly on medium-high heat to avoid burning.
11. Mix black salt and red chili powder in a small bowl. As soon as the fried pieces come out of the oil and are still hot, sprinkle the spice mix over them so the seasoning sticks well.
12. Repeat with the remaining dough balls until all pieces are fried and seasoned.
13. Allow the snacks to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container to retain crunchiness.
14. Serve as a crunchy tea-time snack alongside a cup of hot coffee or tea.
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| Stiff dough |
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| Add oil and pound with a pestle until smooth |
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| Make it soft and smooth |
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| Divide into small balls |
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| Roll each ball into a thin disc and cut into rectangles |
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| Transfer to a plate and fry until golden |
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| Mix black salt and red chili powder |
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| Sprinkle the spice mix over hot pieces so it adheres well |
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| Store in an airtight container once cooled |
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| Serve and enjoy |