Make Traditional Gujarati Cholafali at Home this Diwali; Learn the Complete and Easy Method

It is almost unthinkable for the festival of Diwali to pass without the preparation of various types of sweets and savouries at home. On this special occasion, people prepare numerous delicacies to welcome guests visiting their homes. If you wish to make something unique and delicious at home this Diwali instead of purchasing savouries from the market, Gujarat's famous Cholafali could be an excellent choice. According to a report by Aaj Tak, Cholafali is a traditional Gujarati snack that is extremely light, crunchy, and tasty.

The main characteristic of Cholafali is that it breaks easily as soon as it is placed in the mouth. This dish is primarily prepared from besan (gram flour) and urad dal flour. To further enhance its flavour, black salt and red chilli powder are sprinkled over the prepared Cholafali. However, to make it light and crunchy like the market variety, the process of pounding the dough after kneading is very essential, as this improves its texture.

The method of preparing this traditional snack is very simple. First, take 1 cup of water in a pan. Add salt and asafoetida (hing) according to taste to this water and boil it. When the water begins to boil properly, turn off the gas and set this water aside.

Subsequently, take besan in a large vessel and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. Mix the besan and oil well with the help of your hands so that the oil blends properly into the flour. Then, gradually add the previously prepared hot asafoetida water and knead the dough. While kneading, take special care that the dough does not become too hard nor too soft.

The most important stage to make Cholafali light and fluffy now begins. Apply a little oil to the prepared dough and place it on a clean surface. Then, using a pestle or mortar, pound this dough for about 7 to 8 minutes. This process makes the dough smooth and flexible, which gives the Cholafali a light texture similar to the market variety.

Once the dough is ready, make small lemon-sized balls. Now, apply a little oil on the rolling board and rolling pin. Take one ball at a time and roll it into a very thin puri or papdi shape. After rolling, cut it into long strips using a knife or pizza cutter.

Now, heat oil in a kadhai. When the oil is moderately hot, carefully place the Cholafali strips in the oil. Fry them until they puff up and become light golden and crunchy. After frying, remove them and place them on tissue paper so that the excess oil is drained.

While the Cholafali is still slightly warm, sprinkle black salt and red chilli powder on it. Then, mix it gently so that the masala is evenly applied to every piece. In this way, Gujarat's famous and crunchy Cholafali is prepared. You can serve this snack with tea or offer it to guests during the Diwali festival.

It has been stated by Aaj Tak that if you desire market-like crispy Cholafali, adopting the method of pounding the dough is indispensable. The correct mixture of besan and urad dal flour and the use of hot asafoetida water give this dish its traditional taste.