Chakkli / Murukku

Chakklis are a very popular savory snack in Southern India. It is prepared in almost every household during festivals or special occasions.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 5 Cups

Finely Roasted Urad Flour - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 1 1/2 Tsp (Or per your taste)

Red Chilli Powder - 2 1/2 Tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 2 Tsp

Roasted Sesame Seeds - 1 Tsp

Unsalted Butter - 3/4 Stick or 75gm

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Oil - to fry the Chakklis

Preparation:

Mix all the above ingredients and form a firm dough.

Use the Chakkli tool to make around 55 Chakklis

Fry the Chakklis till crisp and drain

Store in a dry container

Notes:

The spice levels can be modified to your taste.

The Chakklis can be stored for atleast a month (you will actually finish them way earlier :) )

Onion Spinach Pakoda

Pakodas don't make a good case for a super healthy lifestyle - it is even worse when we decide to take something as healthy as Spinach and decide to make pakodas with it. But like with everything sinful, these pakodas taste heavenly on cooler evenings!!

Ingredients:

Medium Sized Onion, thinly sliced - 1

Ginger, thinly sliced - 1 inch

Green Chillis, thinly sliced - 2

Spinach, washed and finely cut - 1 Cup

Curry Leaves, washed and cut - 1 Sprig

Coriander Leaves/Cilantro, washed and cut - 2 Tbsp

Salt - per your taste

Gram Flour/Besan - 1 Cup

Rice Flour - 1/2 Cup

Baking Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - to fry

Cashewnuts, cut - 2 Tbsp

Preparation:

Soak the cut cashewnuts in water for about 5 minutes

Take a mixing bowl and mix the cut Onions, Ginger, Chillies, Spinach, soaked Cashewnuts, Curry Leaves, Cilantro and some salt. This mixture lets out some water.

In another larger bowl, mix the flours, 2 Tsp Oil, some Salt, Red Chilli Powder and Baking powder

Now add the cut vegetable mixture (with the water in it) to the flour mixture and mix.

If needed, sprinkle very little water and knead everything into a tight dough.

Taste the dough to check if it needs more salt or chilli and add them appropriately.

In the meanwhile, heat the Oil for frying

When the Oil is hot, drop the dough little by little to make bite sized pakodas

Remove the pakodas when golden brown and drain excess oil

Eat them hot with Tomato Ketchup or Mint Chutney!

Notes:

This makes about 4 servings of pakodas. These pakodas can be stored for a couple of days. The pakodas can be done just with Onions.

Ribbon Pakoda

This is a very quick snack made in South India. The ribbon pakodas don't need any pre-preparation and the ingredients used are common household ingredients which makes this a very quick preparation for rainy and cooler evenings.

The ribbon pakodas are also made for festivals in South India.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 Cups
Besan (Gram flour) - 1.5 Cups
Unsalted Butter - 100 gms
Red Chilli powder - per your taste
Salt - per your taste
Asafoetida / Hing - A pinch
Oil - for deep frying
Ribbon Pakoda tool - similar to the picture

Preparation:
Mix the Rice flour, Besan, Chilli Powder, Salt and Hing evenly in a bowl
Add Butter and mix again till consistent
Add water and make a dough similar to Chapatti/Roti dough consistency
Keep it aside closed for 5-10 minutes

In the meanwhile, heat the oil in a fry pan
Take the pakoda tool and use the ribbon pakoda mould as the base (the one separated out in the picture)



Stuff some dough in the tool and thread the lid tightly

Check if the oil is hot enough by putting a small pinch of the dough in the oil - the pakoda should sizzle and float in the oil

Now take the tool and drop the dough in the shape of ribbon pakoda into the oil directly

The oil for every round of pakodas is kept at a high heat initially, but once the pakodas are overturned, the heat is brought down to medium


After the pakodas are done (make sure if it not overdone or burnt), remove it from the oil and keep it on absorbant paper to drain out any excess oil

Once cooled, store ribbon pakodas in an airtight container

Notes:
The pakoda making tool comes in various designs - one that has a thread, one which is a press etc. Use whatever is comfortable for you - I think the threaded one will be less stress on your hands.

Enjoy these pakodas as a light snack!!