Baked Chakri

I love chakris. Traditionally, chakris are deep fried in hot oil. Once I eat one, I have to have more:).  That is the biggest reason I don't make chakris often.
This year, I made baked chakris so that I can eat as much as I want without worrying much.

In the past when I tried to make baked chakris I have found that they came out very hard and chewy. This time, I added baking powder (which I didn't in past). This made a huge difference in the outcome. My chakris were crispy, but not tough and chewy.  Here is the recipe.

Note: If you plan to make fried chakris, omit the baking powder from the recipe given below. The addition of baking powder will make your chakris very deep brown in color even before they are completely cooked.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Rice Flour,
3/4 Cup Yogurt, ( I used fat free),
3/4 Cup Warm Water (10-15 Seconds in Microwave)
Salt to Taste,
1/2 Teaspoon Chili-Ginger Paste, or to taste,
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds,
1 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds,
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 Cup Oil
1 Tablespoon Oil for Brushing

Method:
Add everything but the water in a bowl. Now, add a little water at a time to make firm dough. You might need a little more or less than 3/4 cup of water depending on the flour you have. Once the dough has formed, apply two drops of oil to your palms and knead gently once last time.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a baking sheet aligned with parchment paper or silicone mat (I used the mat), make chakris with the help of the chakri making device/machine.

Brush each chakri with a few drops of oil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until they just start tuning golden brown. Take out of the oven. Flip each chakri. Apply the oil to the flipped side and put it back in the oven for 15-20 additional minutes. The chakri is done when the color has changed to brown. Do not over bake, otherwise it will turn dark brown and you will taste brunt flavor in the chakri.

Take out of the oven and let it cool completely. Make sure that none of the chakris are soft.
Chakris can be stored in an airtight container.

For Frying the chakris, fill a deep bottom pan 3/4th way up with oil. Heat the oil until hot. You can test it by dropping a very small amount of dough in the oil. If it sizzles and comes back up right away, the oil is ready. Turn the heat down to medium. Transfer the chakris (4-5 at a time, depending on the size of your frying pan) in the pan, and cook on medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, or until it has turned golden brown, and has become crispy.
Transfer onto a paper towel to absorb the additional oil. Let it cool completely and enjoy.


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