Chakli recipe | Chakralu | How to make instant chakli

Chakli recipe with video & step by step photos – Chakli is a spiral shaped snack made with rice flour, gram flour, spices and herbs. Murukku & chakkli are the terms used synonymously to mention these fried snacks. This recipe will yield you light, crunchy and delicious chaklis that you can make them instantly for your tea time snack or during festivals like Diwali.

Murukku is the term used very much in Tamilnadu, kerala and only in some parts of Andhra. While chakli is a term used in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. In Andhra Pradesh some call them chakralu.

However based on the regions different ingredients are used. Each family may have their own recipe of chakli and murukku to suit their taste.

These days many people even make these with wheat flour, ragi flour etc. This recipe of instant chakli is from my mom. It needs only a handful of ingredients apart from the rice flour.

Many people prefer to mill the grains to flour as they yield the best tasting chaklis. I have used store bought rice flour to make these.

Tips to make chakli

Fried gram in the recipe lends a light texture to the chaklis. So do not skip them. Fried gram is also known as chatni dal or roasted gram.

If you do not have fried gram then you can simply replace them with gram flour or besan. But the texture will be slightly different.

Gram flour or besan brings a good aroma. There is no substitute to this.

Other ingredients like sesame seeds, cumin, ajwain are all optional and can use according to your taste.

Red chilli powder can be replaced with pepper or green chili paste.

Sometimes we also add ginger, garlic and green chili paste to water. Squeeze up well and strain the water and use it to make the dough.

For more similar Diwali snacks, you can check
Butter murukku
Ribbon pakoda
Sweet murukku
Thattai
Namak pare or diamond cuts
Omapodi or Sev
Chivda

You may also like to check this collection of 100 Diwali sweets recipes.

Chakli recipe or chakralu recipe

Chakli recipe | Chakralu recipe | How to make instant chakli recipe

Chakli recipe – also known as chakralu are deep fried snacks made with rice flour, gram flour and other basic ingredients.

Prep Time7 minutes

Cook Time23 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings12 to 14 chakli

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

• 1 cup rice flour (refer notes)
• ¼ cup besan or gram flour or kadalai maavu
• ¼ cup fried gram powder or roasted gram powder (can replace with besan, refer notes)
• Salt as needed
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (do not use unhulled)
• 1 tbsp hot butter or hot oil
• 1 tbsp ajwain or carom seeds or vaamu (optional)
• ½ to ¾ tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 pinch hing or asafoetida
• water as needed
• Oil for deep frying

How to make the recipe

Preparation for chakli recipe

• The recipe needs ¼ cup fried gram. You can replace it with besan. If using fried gram then add the gram to a chutney jar and make a fine powder. Use only ¼ cup powder in the recipe..
• Add rice flour, besan, fried gram powder, salt, sesame seeds, ajwain, hing & chilli powder to a large mixing bowl. Mix up well.
• Heat 1 tbsp butter or oil until very hot. Pour it quickly to the mixture. This will make the chakli crunchy.
• Gently mix with a spoon as the oil is too hot. Then mix well with your hand to incorporate the oil evenly. 
• Pour water little by little and make a dough. Do not knead it just mix to get a non sticky dough.

How to make chakli

• Grease the chakli maker and fill it with the dough.
• You can make chakli either on a moist cloth, dry cloth or parchment paper. Slowly press the chakli maker to release the dough. Make spirals of the dough. Use your finger to end the spiral. Join the end of the chakli to the spiral.
• Heat oil on a medium high flame. Continue to make the chakli while the oil heats up.

Frying chakli

• Check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of dough to the hot oil. The correct temperature is when the dough rises to the surface without browning.
• Remove the chakli and drop in hot oil one after the other. You can fry about 3 to 4 in each batch depending on the kadai.
• Do not disturb them immediately. After a while flip and fry on both the sides until crunchy.
• Remove chakli to a mess basket and cool them completely.
• Transfer chakli to a air tight steel or glass jar.

Video

Video of chakli recipe

NUTRITION (estimation only)

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 2g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Notes

I used Indian brand store bought rice flour. You can also use homemade flour.

Always ensure chakli is fried in hot oil on a medium high flame otherwise they may turn soft after a day or 2.
If you fry them when the oil is not hot enough they will turn soft the next day and will also turn oily.

If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.

Preparation for instant chakli recipe

1. Measure all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe card and set aside. Powder the fried gram in a mixer jar. We need only 1/4 cup of fried gram for this recipe. Make sure you measure the flour and use only 1/4 cup.

2. Add flour, red chili powder, salt, hing, sesame seeds, carom seeds to a mixing bowl. Mix up all these very well.

3. Add 1 tbsp hot butter or oil. Mix this up very well again.

4. Add water just as needed.

5. Make a tight dough. The dough has be non sticky and not dry either. If the dough turns sticky then you can also sprinkle some flour and mix it again.

How to make chakli

6. Grease the chakli maker.

7. Divide the dough to 2 to 3 parts and fill the chakli maker. Press the chakli maker to release the dough and shape the dough to spirals.

How to fry chakli

8. Heat oil in a fry pan. When the oil is hot enough drop a small piece of dough, it has to rise. Drop chakli in hot oil and fry them until golden and crisp.

9. Drain them on a kitchen tissue and set aside. Continue making and frying chakli in batches. Do not allow them to dry up, you can also keep them covered with a cloth.

Cool chakli completely and store them in a airtight jar.