In Maharashtra, these are called shankarpali. In Gujarat, these are known as Shakkar Para.
My Shakarpara Recipe!
The traditional version calls for all-purpose flour (maida) and sugar. But here, I’ve used whole wheat flour instead of maida and jaggery instead of sugar. Some people even call it gurpara when jaggery is used. Because I’ve used healthier ingredients and they’re not overly sweet, I sometimes make these shakarpara on regular days for my kids’ snack box. There is another version of shakarpara where the deep-fried pieces are dipped in sugar syrup. This version is more popular in North India and is sweeter than this shankarpali recipe. These sweet shankarpali are so tasty that you can’t stop munching! I like to eat them just as they are, but my husband prefers them with tea. According to him, nothing beats a bowl of shakarpara and a hot cup of tea.
Ingredient Notes
Here is the pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this shakarpara recipe.
How To Make Shakarpara? (Photos With Tips)
Prep: Melt Jaggery & Cool:
Add jaggery into the water and microwave it until jaggery is melted. You can do this step in a saucepan on a stovetop. Let the jaggery water cool down.
- Mix Flour & Ghee (Moyan):
In a KitchenAid stand mixer bowl, add atta, sooji, salt, and ghee. Use the dough attachment. Turn on the mixer with low speed and let it run for 3 minutes. Ghee will get mixed into the flour. If you see any large clumps of ghee then break them using a spatula. You can do the same step using your fingertips if not using a stand mixer.
- Knead Into The Dough:
Keep the mixer running on LOW and drizzle the jaggery water from all sides. Gradually, it will start to clump together like a dough. Once all the water is added, stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Run it again on low-medium until it forms a dough ball. Gather and smooth out the dough using your hand. The shakarpara dough should be semi-stiff (not loose or soft like roti, or chapati).
- Roll & Cut Shakarpara:
Divide the dough into two or three parts. Make a flattened disc and start rolling. Roll into a ¼ – inch thickness. Cut into small bite-sized square or diamond shapes using a knife or pizza cutter.
- Deep Fry Shakarpara:
Heat the oil in a kadai for deep frying on medium heat. Once hot, lower the heat to low, and add a few shakarpara at a time (don’t dump them all together otherwise they will stick to each other). Fry on low-medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Remove shakarpara using a slotted spatula by draining excess oil and transfer to a plate. While the first batch is frying, roll the next dough ball, cut it, and keep it ready for the next frying batch.
Storage: Let the fried shakarpara cool down completely. Then store in an airtight container. It stays fresh for up to 2 months (if it lasts that long 😉).
Namak para Mathri Methi mathri Poha chivda Chakli
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below. If you’re sharing it on your Instagram then don’t forget to tag me @spice.up.the.curry
