Khapli Atta Shankarpali

Recipe: Method, Tips And Elevating Flavour

What Makes Khapli Atta Different

Using khapli atta in a shankarpali recipe is not the same as using whole wheat atta or maida, both of which will produce desired results. With khapli wheat flour, the challenge will be the flakiness, but understanding it will help you to adjust the dough:

• Gluten: Khapli wheat has a significantly lower and looser gluten structure than maida and modern whole wheat flour. This is an advantage for a short dough like shankarpali. The dough does not need to be excessively elastic, and the namkeen tends to be crumblier and more melt-in-the-mouth.

• Absorption: Khapli atta absorbs more liquid than maida. When converting a maida shankarpali recipe to khapli atta, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra liquid (milk or water) per cup of flour.

• Flavour: Khapli atta has a distinct flavour – it is nutty and slightly earthy, which is perfect for shankarpali, especially the sweet version.

• Colour: The dullish brown hue of khapli atta means the finished shankarpali will be deeper in colour than the pale gold typical of maida versions.

First, you need quality atta to start making this namkeen for your home. Pick Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta, which provides higher fibre, protein, and micronutrients, including iron and Vitamin B1, with a low glycaemic index. Three portions (of roti) provide approximately 34% of daily fibre requirements and 23% of daily protein needs, making these shankarpali a more nutritious festive snack without any compromise to taste.

The Method Behind the Flakiness

Flour is the base for shankarpali, but it is the fat which decides how flaky your namkeen will be. It is the quantity of ghee in shankarpali that creates the flaky, short texture. How to get flaky khapli atta shankarpali:

• Coat with the fat first: Always mix ghee into flour before adding any liquid. This is the ‘moyan’ principle used across many deep-fried snacks.

• Adding hot fat: This is an alternate method of pouring hot ghee into flour and kneading for producing flakier results.

• The dough: The dough should be firm and non-sticky, not as soft as roti dough. Soft dough produces softer and oilier shankarpali. The dough may feel wet initially when the warm milk-ghee-sugar mixture is added. Do not add more flour yet; just keep kneading, for the ghee to cool and the dough to firm up.

• Dough thickness: The dough should be rolled to between 1mm and 1.5mm. Thick shankarpali will be hard and chewy, rather than crispy and thin ones will be fragile with layers not forming, which cancels out the signature flakiness.

Khapli Atta Shankarpali Recipe (Sweet)

For this recipe, to ensure the shankarpali is crispy and flaky without fail, the usual maida was adjusted to incorporate khapli wheat. You can increase khapli atta once you gain more confidence while using it.

Ingredients (Makes 60 pieces)

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour (maida): ½ cup

• Semolina: ⅓ cup

• Sugar: ½ cup

• A pinch of salt

• Milk: 4-5 tablespoons (as needed)

• Melted ghee: 3 tablespoons

• Oil for deep frying

Method

Step 1: Preparing the Shankarpali Dough

• First, powder the granulated sugar in a dry grinder, if not using powdered sugar. Set aside. 

• Sieve the maida and khapli atta with salt into a bowl, then do the same with the powdered sugar. Add the semolina into the same bowl

• Melt ghee or warm oil in a small pan. Add the melted ghee or hot oil into the flour bowl and mix with a spoon. 

• Once warm enough to mix, use your fingers to mix into a breadcrumb-like consistency (moyan). Gather it into a ball to check if it holds. Then it is ready. 

• Warm milk in a small saucepan and, using a tablespoon, spoon it into the moyan. Keep kneading after adding milk, to form a firm dough. Since khapli flour absorbs more moisture, you may need slightly more milk.

• Add more milk, in case the dough looks dry and knead, but be careful because khapli wheat takes a longer time to hydrate. Some of it happens during its resting time. Once the dough is kneaded, cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Frying the Shankarpali

• Take a kadhai or a heavy-bottom pot for deep frying. Heat the oil in it. Keep the heat on medium-low during frying.

• Divide the dough into three balls and keep them covered to keep them from drying out.

• Roll each ball into rectangular sheets with around 6 mm thickness. Cut them into diamond-shaped pieces.

• Without crowding the kadhai, drop the cut dough pieces into the hot oil. Let one side fry well until golden, then turn over and fry the other side. You could also choose to flip often while the shankarpalis fry.

• Use a slotted spoon to drain the shankarpali and place them on paper towels. Fry the rest of the diamond pieces and repeat.

Step 3: Baking Method for the Shankarpali

• For those who prefer not to deep-fry and want something with less oil, shankarpali can be baked. Baked shankarpali is lighter in colour and has a texture closer to a baked biscuit, and is less crumbly and flakier.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C.

• Arrange the cut pieces on a lined baking tray. Brush with melted ghee.

• Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden.

• If shankarpali lose their crispness over time, reheat them at 150°C for 5-7 minutes, before eating, to restore their texture.

Note: Baked khapli atta shankarpali browns faster than maida versions due to the bran content. Watch after the 12-minute mark and reduce the temperature by 10°C if needed.

Adding More Flavour to the Sankarpali

Once you master the basic shankarpali recipe, adding seeds, dry fruits, and spices is how you personalise it. These additions work particularly well with khapli atta because the grain's nuttiness complements each of these ingredients.

• White sesame (til): Add 2 tbsp to the dough. Sesame added a roasted flavour to enhance the nutiness of the snack, and also a nice and satisfying crunch..

• Nigella seeds (kalonji): Use 1 tsp in the khare version (omitting the powdered sugar). Kalonji has a distinct flavour that goes well with cumin shankarpali.

• Flaxseeds: Ground flaxseeds can be mixed into the dough (1-2 tbsp) for extra fibre, which adds a mild nutty flavour.

• Cumin (jeera): Whole or crushed cumin in the sweet version adds warmth.

• Cashews (finely chopped): Add 2-3 tbsp of finely chopped cashews to the dough for a rich, buttery version with more crunch in the sweet version.

• Almonds (coarsely ground): Replace 2 tbsp of khapli atta with coarsely ground almonds, yielding similar results as the cashews.

• Desiccated coconut: Add 2-3 tbsp to the dough in the sweeter version.

• Cinnamon and cardamom: A small pinch of cinnamon alongside cardamom in the sweet version adds an addictive flavour.

• Black pepper and ginger powder: For the khare version, the ginger adds heat that lingers.

• Rose and pistachio: Finely ground pistachios (2 tbsp) and some rose water in the sweet version make a sophisticated variation.

Storing the Shankarpali

• The rule for storing namkeen is to let the fried or baked shankarpali to cool completely before storing. Warm ones will trap condensation and soften the namkeen, which will ruin the texture and crunch.

• Store in an airtight container, such as a steel dabba or wooden box, at room temperature. Shankarpali will stay crispy for 2-3 weeks.

• Do not refrigerate, as the cool, humid air in refrigerators draws moisture into the shankarpali and makes them soft.

• Khapli atta shankarpali may feel slightly denser at room temperature than maida versions, but will remain crispy.

Kapli Atta Shankarpali Made Smooth

With healthier eating the need of the hour, it does not mean you do away with anything that spells maida. Up the fibre and protein content on your favourite snacks with chai, like this shankarpali and enjoy them like usual with barely any noticeable difference in the taste. Try the khapli atta version mixed with maida first, then slowly reduce the maida as you get better at this.