Khapli Wheat Recipes: Transform

Garlic Knots

Into A Low Glycaemic Snack

Quick Summary

A kind of bread roll, garlic knots are named after the ‘knot’ they are shaped into and then baked. The garlic part is the main flavour of this baked treat, and with khapli atta in the picture, you get a wholesome treat. All-purpose flour has its charm when it comes to developing gluten and giving that crazy stretch and elasticity that is needed in baked treats like garlic knots, but with the nutritionally dense components like the endosperm, bran and germ removed, it does not match up to khapli wheat.

Deep Dive

Khapli wheat flour can replace all-purpose flour (maida) in garlic knots to make this popular fast-food snack noticeably lower on the glycaemic index, higher in fibre, and easier to digest, provided the dough is rested well enough and its gluten is developed correctly before baking. Garlic knots tend to be made with maida or bread flour because these flours are high in gluten, which gives the knots their chewy, pull-apart texture. Khapli wheat naturally contains less gluten, so expecting a similar soft, stretchy result will require paying closer attention to what this ancient grain-sourced flour needs, and how it is handled at different stages, not simply swapping one flour for another in the same recipe.

Khapli Flour vs Maida Garlic Knots

Khapli atta comes from Triticum dicoccum, or emmer wheat, which is one of the earliest wheat varieties cultivated in India, now grown mainly in pockets of Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Unlike maida, which is refined, bleached and made for getting the maximum gluten strength, khapli wheat is typically stone-ground from the whole grain, and because of that it keeps its bran and germ. That affects a garlic knot dough in these two areas:

• Lower gluten formation: Khapli wheat's gluten proteins are weaker and less elastic than the gluten in maida or bread flour, so the dough won't stretch as readily, thin, or hold gas bubbles as well.

• A denser starting texture: The bran in khapli interferes slightly with gluten strand formation, which is why khapli dough tends to feel more textured and less silky than a smooth maida dough straight out of the mixing bowl.

Why Choose Khapli Atta Over Maida For This Snack?

Garlic knots made with all-purpose flour are quick, chewy and satisfying, but maida is a refined flour stripped of bran and germ, which means it digests fast and offers little in the way of fibre. Khapli wheat flour changes that equation in a few quantifiable ways:

• A meaningfully lower glycaemic index: Khapli wheat's glycaemic index is lower than that of modern wheat. This helps prevent the sharp blood sugar spike that maida-heavy snacks can cause.

• More fibre per bite: Khapli atta retains its bran, giving it a noticeably higher fibre content than maida. It’s useful for anyone trying to make an indulgent snack a little more filling.

• Higher protein: Khapli wheat flour is richer in protein than common wheat, naturally, adding a bit more satiating quality to what would otherwise be just an indulgent bite.

• A nutty, earthy flavour: Khapli atta's earthy, slightly sweet taste actually complements roasted garlic and butter flavours present in the garlic knots.

How to Activate Gluten in Khapli Wheat Flour Dough

This is the step many bakers tend to skip, and it's the one that decides whether the khapli atta garlic knots turn out pillowy or dense. Because khapli wheat's gluten network is naturally weaker, it needs more time, not more aggressive kneading, to develop.

Mixing stage

• Mix khapli wheat flour with a portion of maida or bread flour (roughly 60:40 khapli to bread flour is a good starting ratio) to get some extra elasticity while keeping khapli wheat as the dominant flour.

• Mix just until the ingredients form a dough, and avoid the urge to knead vigorously right away. Khapli atta's gluten is fragile and will be affected if you take the aggressive route.

Resting before kneading (autolyse)

• Cover the just-made dough and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before the proper kneading stage. Khapli atta needs time to hydrate, so this resting period is important. This is also where the gluten development happens.

• This step is more important for khapli wheat than for maida, because khapli atta's bran slows down water absorption. Skipping the rest time often shows up later as a dough that tears when stretched.

Kneading and checking gluten development

• Knead in intervals, around 1-2 minutes at a time, with brief rests in between, rather than one long, forceful kneading session.

• Pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece of the dough, let it rest in your palm for a few seconds, then stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, the gluten is sufficiently developed. If it rips, give the dough a few more short kneads and another short rest.

• With khapli wheat flour, expect the above test to be slightly less transparent and more textured than with 100% maida dough.

Resting after shaping

Once the knots are tied, let them rest for another 10-15 minutes before baking. This relaxes any tension built up in the dough while shaping, so the garlic knots don't spring back into tight little balls in the oven, and gives the dough ample window to puff, if at all, before the heat sets it into shape.

Khapli Wheat Flour Garlic Knots Recipe

Makes: 12 knots

Ingredients

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta: 180g

• Bread flour or maida: 120g

• Instant yeast: 1 tsp

• Sugar: 1 tsp

• Salt: 1 tsp

• Lukewarm water: 180-200ml

• Olive oil: 2 tbsp

• Butter, melted: 3 tbsp

• Garlic cloves, finely minced: 4-5

• Chopped parsley or coriander: 2 tbsp

• Chilli flakes (optional): A pinch

Method

1. Whisk the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to activate. It should turn foamy.

2. In a large bowl, mix khapli atta, bread flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil, and make a dough.

3. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes (the autolyse step described above).

4. Knead in short 1-2 minute intervals with brief resting periods, checking for the stretch as described above. The active kneading time will likely be a little longer than a pure-maida dough.

5. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60-90 minutes. Khapli wheat dough can take slightly longer to rise.

6. Punch down gently, divide into 12 equal pieces, roll each into a rope, and tie into a knot.

7. Rest the shaped knots for 10-15 minutes on a parchment-lined baking tray.

8. Brush with half the garlic butter and bake at 200°C for 12-15 minutes, until golden.

9. Brush with the remaining garlic butter, sprinkle with parsley and chilli flakes, and serve warm.

Cues to watch for and substitutions

• If the dough feels dry rather than sticky after the autolyse, it’s best to wet your hands and moisten the dough, and let it rest for a bit.

• For a fully whole-grain version, khapli atta can be used at 100%, but expect a denser result.

• Ghee can replace butter for a more traditional flavour profile without changing the dough's structure.

• A quality, consistently milled khapli atta, such as Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta, will make the dough’s hydration and rest times easier to predict and rely on.

Khapli Atta Garlic Knots Made Simple

Leftover pizza dough is what was used to create garlic knots in the United States as a fusion of Italian and American cultures, but today they are as loved as any buttery and herby baked treat. Garlic elevates the taste of any bread, especially when butter and herbs are involved, like in garlic knots. To upgrade the nutrition, use khapli wheat as a blend and then adjust to its properties for the best results, with a nuttier and earthier taste.