Chekkalu ( Rice Crackers )
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Rice flour
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Chana dal
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 2 sprigs Curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
- 2 Green chilli paste
- 1/2 tsp Jeera or cumin
Instructions:
- Wash and soak chana dal for 30 mins.
- Add rice flour, salt, jeera, chili powder, ginger, chilli paste, curry leaves to a mixing bowl.
- Mix everything well. Discard the water and add chana dal too.
- Bring 6 tbsps water to a boil and add butter to it. Allow the butter to melt. Then pour it to the rice flour.
- The mixture will turn hot. Carefully mix well. Pour more hot to warm water and make a non sticky dough. Do not knead. Check salt and add more if needed. Cover until the mixture is used up.
- Heat oil in kadahi or pan. While the oil heats up, make 14 to 15 equal sized balls.
- Spread a clean and dry white cloth. or use a parchment paper.
- Place the balls and begin to flatten them to a thin puri (as thin as possible). The dough begins to crack, just stick it up or dip your fingers in water and continue to spread.
- Ensure chekkalu are thin and even.
- To prevent puffing you can also prick them randomly with a fork.
- Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small flat piece of dough to the oil. It must rise immediately without browning.
- Gently remove the chekkalu and drop them in hot oil. The flame has to be medium high.
- When golden flip & fry until golden and crunchy. Bubbles will cease when they are done.
- Remove them to a colander to keep them crunchy.
- Cool chekkalu completely and transfer to a air tight jar.