Namkeen champakali is a crunchy and flavourful teatime snack. These intricately shaped spirals are made with refined flour dough, deep-fried and then seasoned with a spice blend that give them a delightful taste. Champakalis can be made sweet too and is usually made during festivals.
Recipe
Serves 4 · Prep 35m · Cook 20m
Ingredients
2 cups refined flour (maida)
2 tbsps oil
Salt to taste
A large pinch of castor sugar
1 tsp red chilli powder
Oil for deep frying
Spice mix
1½ tsps dried mango powder (amchur)
¾ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
Salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Take refined flour in a large shallow bowl. Add salt, castor sugar, and mix well. Add the hot oil and mix till the mixture resembles bread crumb consistency. Add ½ cup water little by little and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together dried mango powder, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and salt in a bowl.
Take a portion of the dough, roll it out into a thin roundel. Make lengthwise cuts at equal distance in the middle of each roundel, leaving the edges intact. Apply some water on the edges. Gently pleat the cuts one over the other from one end to the other. Bring them together and press two ends to secure. Lightly twist once.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, gently slide in a few champakalis at a time, deep-fry on medium heat till golden. Drain on absorbent paper and immediately sprinkle some of the spice mix. Set aside to cool down.