Rice Flour Chakli (Murukku) with Roasted Chana Dal
Crispy rice flour chakli with butter, besan, and sieved roasted chana dal powder. Star-press spirals for Diwali tins or masala chai.
Ingredients
For the dry mix
- 3 cups fine rice flour
- 1 cup roasted chana dal ground to a fine powder and sieved
- 1/4 cup besan gram flour
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
- 1/2 teaspoon hing asafoetida
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
To bring the dough together
- 4 tablespoons butter softened at room temperature
- About 2 1/4 cups hot water, added gradually as needed
For frying
- Neutral oil for deep frying (enough for a 2-inch depth in the kadai)
Instructions
Prep the roasted chana dal powder
- If using whole roasted chana dal, cool it completely after any home roasting.
- Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Sieve through a fine mesh strainer. Measure 1 cup sieved powder for the dough.
Make the dough
- In a wide bowl, whisk rice flour, sieved chana dal powder, besan, sesame seeds, cumin, ajwain, hing, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Rub in softened butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy.
- Add hot water gradually, mixing after each addition, until the dough comes together. You may not need the full 2 1/4 cups. The dough should be firm, smooth, and not sticky.
- Knead two to three minutes, cover with a damp cloth, and rest ten minutes.
Shape and fry
- Heat oil in a heavy kadai over medium heat until a tiny pinch of dough rises steadily (about 350 to 360°F / 175 to 180°C).
- Grease the murukku press and fill with dough. Pipe spirals directly into the oil, or onto greased parchment and slide in carefully.
- Fry two to three spirals at a time without crowding. Cook until golden and crisp, turning once, about two to three minutes per side depending on size.
- Drain on a wire rack. Cool completely before storing.
- Repeat with remaining dough, keeping finished chakli on the rack so steam does not soften them.
Notes
Use fine rice flour labeled for murukku or chakli for the cleanest ridges.
Sieving the chana dal powder prevents press clogs and rough spirals.
If dough cracks while piping, knead in one tablespoon hot water at a time.
If spirals soften overnight, the dough was too wet or they were packed before cooling fully.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 to 3 weeks in dry weather; up to 10 days in humid climates.
For vegan, substitute softened vegan butter or a neutral oil rubbed into the flour mix.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!