Be it any festival, a festival is not complete without food especially the sweets and savories. All these foods are loaded with calories but during festivals we can’t resist them also. Portion control, a well balanced diet and exercise are very important and during these festivals we need to keep repeating this mantra again and again.
All the Diwali savory snacks are perfect Diwali tea time snacks also. These are perfect after a long tiring day with a cup of tea. Here is my attempt to make one the savory snack a bit healthy by baking and reducing the oil that it takes for frying. According to Wikipedia “Shankarpali/ shankarpaale / shakarpara are a snack popular in Maharashtra, India. It is traditionally enjoyed as a treat on the Diwali holiday”
When I was asking my friend P for the traditional recipe she gave me hers and also when I mentioned I am planning to bake she gave me this blog which has recipe for baked sweet shankarpara. I just checked for the time and prepared the spicy one and combing wheat flour and maida together. But the time and temperature is completely different for the sweet and the savory one. Here is my version of the baked shankarpara,
Baked Spicy Shankarpali/ Shankarpaale / Shankarpara
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour – 1 /2 cup + 2 tbsps for dusting.
- Maida or All Purpose Flour – ½ cup
- Salt – ¾ tsp (adjust to your taste)
- Baking Powder – ½ tsp
- Ajwain powder / Carom seeds powder – ½ tsp
- Oil – 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp for spraying
- Cumin seeds – 2 tsps.
- Red chilly powder – ½ tsp (adjust to your taste)
- Water for making the dough.
Steps:
- Sieve the wheat flour and maida.
- Now add the salt, carom seeds powder, cumin seeds, baking powder, red chilly powder and 1 tbsp of oil.
- Slowly add water and prepare the dough. (Pretty much like chapatti dough)
- Now I took half of the dough and spread it on the working area dusted with flour.
- Roll it out like chapatti and using the cookie cutter make different shapes.
- With the other half I rolled it out and cut them into diamonds and squares.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. In a cookie tray spread the parchment sheet and transfer all the cut shankarparas into them.
- Spray some oil on top and bake it for 20 minutes.
- Now flip them and spread some oil and bake it for another 12 minutes.
- That’s it crunchy and crispy shankarparas are ready.
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Hi they look lovely. Just a question though: you haven’t added oil to the dough only baking powder; wont that make the shakarparas tough to chew? please guide.
Hi Swati Rai.. Thanks a lot. I added 1 tbsp of oil and its in the step 2. I just sprayed a little on top before baking which was about 1/2 tbsp. In the ingredients I listed as 1tbsp + 1tbsp for spraying. Sorry if its confusing. Please let me know if you have any other question. ?
The cute shaped ones are a crowd pleaser for sure :)
Wow, your baked shakarpali look just like the traditional fried version. So yummy!!
Looks very healthy and tasty dear. Love this baked version!
Thanks kushi
I love these snacks and these are popular all over india I guess…baking it makes it guilt free too..good one..
such cute shapes and I am sure taste just as delicious
Lovely Sri , I liked the cookie cutter shaped one more ;)
Thanks. Me too like that shape.
Such a guilt free shankarpara, if i make them i wont stop munching them..Love it.
Looks crunchy.. Surely will try soon
Baking is definitely a good alternate to deep frying. This is such a versatile snack, loved by all.
baked one looks great! and crispy
yum yum yummmmmmmm
Nice name la.. :) Loved your recipe Sri! Arent these similar to the uppu/kara or sweet maida biscuits we make for deepavali? I simply love them :)
Thanks GB. I think it’s the same. I haven’t tried this snack that often in India after coming to US friends used to prepare this and I got used to this name. :-)
I love shankarapali. I have never tried baked version though. Looks yumm
wow tasty and healthy :)
This is a nice, healthy alternative to the deep fried version. Looks good.
Nice one. I prefer baking the shankarpale too.
Baked seems like a much healthy alternate to deep frying! Festival times are the toughest to keep portion control in check :D
Yup very Rajani. I go crazy :-)
I should try this.mlooks awesome
Try it vids.. little one might like the sweet one da..