Crispy Karela Snack, Champakali

By Anjana Chaturvedi @maayeka

A crispy savory beautiful shaped snack made with refined flour and few spices

Champakali,crispy karela is a savory snack made with refined flour and few spices.It is rolled and then shaped in a form of a flower bud which opens while frying.It is many interesting names in different  Indian States.Fried karela is used as a savory snack and as a sweet also,The plain unsalted ones are fried and then dipped in sugar syrup .In U.P it is named as crispy karela, Champakali in Maharastra, and Elo Jhelo in Bengal, Kardoi in Assam.The savoury and sweet both version taste delicious.

As the festival of Rakshabandhan is coming so I made these beautiful looking crispy snack .It’s a tradition to serve  Home made sweets and savoury on festivals.So I often made Kalakand, Lachcha Rabri , Dahi vada, Punjabi aloo samosa etc on Rakshabandhan but This time, I made these karelas and everyone at home love the karela chat, still few are remaining for my brother which he will surely enjoy on Raksha Bandhan day

Karela can be made just plain salted or you can add cumin/jeera, carom seeds/ajwain and crushed pepper corns .I prefer the spiced one.The fried karelas can be served as a snack with tea or coffee and you can also make tangy karela chat with fried karelas.Just put fried karelas on the serving plate ,put some boiled potatoes cubes on it and then drizzle Green mint chutney , Tamarind chutney and beaten salted yogurt and the final garnish with come red chili powder,roasted cumin powder ,same as we do on dahi vadas. These fried karelas easily stays fresh for minimum 15 days if kept in an airtight container.

Karelas are made with refined flour/maida or with a mix of wheat flour and maida.A medium stiff dough is made with it and kept to rest for 15 minutes.Small thin pooris are rolled from the dough and then made vertical slit all over it leaving some area around the edges ,then roll the poori and press the sides ,no need to apply water on it.


Karela Chat A crispy savory beautiful shaped snack made with refined flour and few spices
  • CourseKids Friendly, snacks/starters, Tiffin recipes, Travel Food
  • CuisineUttar Pradesh Cuisine

Servings Prep Time

25pieces 30minutes

Cook Time

20minutes

Servings Prep Time

25pieces 30minutes

Cook Time

20minutes

Ingredients
  • 2cup Refined flour
  • 1/4cup Cooking Oil
  • 1/2tsp Carom/Ajwain
  • 1/2tsp Cumin Seeds / Sabut Jeera
  • 1/2tsp pepper cornscrushed
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. In a bowl take refined flour,cumin,carom,crushed pepper corns ,salt and 1/4 cup cooking oil.
  2. Mix every thing well then add some water and make a medium stiff dough.
  3. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
  4. Make small balls from the dough.
  5. Roll the dough balls to make small thin pooris.
  6. Make vertical slits all over leaving some portion on the sides.
  7. Now roll the pooris to make a cylinder.
  8. Heat enough oil in a deep pan.
  9. Deep fry the prepared karelas on medium to low heat in batches.
  10. Fry all the karelas and drain on a paper napkin.
  11. Karela chat- Arrange few fried karelas on a plate and put some boiled potato cubes over it.
  12. Drizzle some yogurt ,green chutney and tamarind chutney.
  13. Sprinkle roasted cumin powder,red chili powder and black salt.
  14. Serve immediately.

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