Learn how to make crispy and mouth melting Shakarpali at home using healthy ingredients like wheat flour, jaggery and ghee. Makes a addictive tea time snack.
1tablespoon/ 9 grams Cornstarch / white corn flour
2tablespoons/ 20 grams rawa / semolina flour
3tablespoonsmelted ghee OR oil
¼cup/ 53 grams granulated sugar of choice
¼cup/ 59 ml water
¼teaspoonsalt
Ingredients for baked Shakarpara recipe –
1cup/ 125 grams Wheat flour / atta
1tablespoon/ 9 grams Cornstarch / white corn flour
2tablespoons/ 20 grams rawa / semolina flour
5tablespoonsmelted ghee OR oil
½cup/ 70 grams jaggery / gur
½teaspoonbaking powder
3-4tablespoonswaterto bind the dough
¼teaspoonsalt
Instructions
For deep fried Shankarpali –
In a microwave safe bowl add sugar , water and microwave for 30 seconds.
Remove and stir for the sugar to melt completely.
Alternately you may add hot water to the sugar to melt.
Once the mixture has cooled down or a bit lukewarm add in the wheat flour ( atta), Semolina flour (rawa ), cornstarch and salt.
Mix well to form a stiff dough.
Wrap the dough and let it rest in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. (it's an important step for flaky shakarpara)
Take out the dough from the fridge and divide into 3-4 parts.
Roll each part to your desired thickness.
Roll thin like rotis for crispy biscuits, roll thick like paratha for flaky ones.
The rolled dough will have cracked edges that completely fine.
Using a knife or pizza cutter cut straight lines and then diagonal lines to get diamond shape. You can even do square shape biscuits too.
In the meantime, heat up oil in a frying pan o medium heat.
Once warm, slowly drop in the cut cookies in the hot oil.
Fry it on low to medium heat moving the shakarparas with the slotted spoon every 5 seconds.
Cook them until golden brown.
Drain them gently on a absorbent paper to remove excess oil. Let it cool completely before storing.
For Baked Shakarpara –
In a microwave safe bowl add jaggery, water and microwave for 30 seconds.
Rest follow the steps given for fried Shakarpara.
Follow steps above till you rest the dough in the fridge.
Roll the dough to desired thickness. The final outcome highly depends on the way you have rolled the dough.
Roll it thin and you have very crunchy biscuits. Roll it thick and you have tender biscuits.
Pre heat oven to 375 deg F. Line a baking tray with the diamond cut biscuits. Do not overlap them.
You can bake them in batches too.
Cook for 9-12 minutes until the edges start to brown. My cookies were done in 9 minutes.
They will continue to cook after baking with residual heat.
Over baking will simply harden them.
Video
Notes
Adding cornstarch to this atta biscuit recipe makes the outcome lighter.You may swap ghee for oil to make Vegan Shakarpara.If you like very sweet Shakarpara like the store bought ones then use ⅓rd cup sugar instead of ¼th cup.I have not tried the gluten-free version of Shakarpara yet. You may add some cardamom to the dough if preferred.Makes 4 dozen cookies. Serving size - For 12 people ( 4 crackers is per serving)
How to store Shankarpali –
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last for 2-3 weeks.
Expert tips for making the Best Shankarpali recipe -
• Sugar needs to melt completely before making the dough.• Use already melted ghee or else your measurement will be off.• Fry Shakarpara's between medium to low flame for them to cook evenly from outside and inside.• Shankarpali's will firm after cooling down.• For baked Shakarpara's , bake them until the edges are golden brown. They will continue to cook after baking with residual heat.• Over baking will harden them. They will firm up once cooled.• For flaky melt in mouth Shakarpara it's important to rest the dough for at least 15 minutes in the fridge.• Thinly rolled dough will yield crispy and less flaky or tender shakarpara's more like crunchy crackers.