Shankarpali recipe | Shankarapali | Shankarpali sweet | How to make shankarpali

Shankarapali aka shankarpali recipe is a classic Indian snacks recipe which is frequently prepared in the northern and western Indian houses and sweet shops. These crispy, flaky, sweet and melts-in-mouth pieces of delights are perfect for festive seasons. Whether its Holi or Diwali, shankarpali sweet has always appeared as the most popular snacks recipe for munching anytime and anywhere. It is basically small diamond or square shaped deep fried crackers recipe prepared with a sweet dough of all-purpose flour, ghee, sugar, milk and a pinch of cardamom powder. It is mostly served as afternoon snacks with a cup of hot tea or simply for munching.

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Shankarapali aka shankarpali recipe is a traditional Maharashtrian snacks recipe which is equally popular in Gujarat and south India. It has been preparing in Indian kitchen since ages. It is a deep-fried mini biscuit prepared in either small diamond or square shapes.

These crispy and flaky mini biscuits are known by different names. In few places, it is known as shankarapali, few people also call it tukdi.

Shankarpali recipe can be prepared in both ways – sweet and savoury. In savoury version, sugar is replaced with salt, chilli powder, carom seeds and few other spices.

Shankarpali sweet aka sweet tukdi are deep-fried munchies that are basically prepared with all-purpose flour aka maida, semolina aka sooji (optional), sugar, milk or water, a pinch of salt and cardamom powder.

The sweet shakarpali can also be prepared with jaggery aka gur during winter season. In this preparation, instead of sugar syrup jaggery syrup is added to prepare the dough.

But in short, every version of shakarapali tastes amazing and make a perfect snack recipe for munching. It is an integral part of faral which is prepared with other sweet and savoury snacks items like rava laddo, karanji, chakli etc. During Diwali festivals, these snacks are distributed to friends, relatives, neighbours and closed ones in Maharashtrian and Guajarati houses.

Shakarpali recipe and shakkarpara are both prepared with same ingredients but technique of preparing both the dishes vary. Most of the people get confused between the two. Though both are very close to each other but not the same. The taste and texture of both the dishes are different from each other.

Shankarpali recipe is basically a crispy, moderately sweet and flaky mini biscuit recipe where a sweet and slightly tight dough is prepared with all-purpose flour, sooji (for crunchiness), ghee, sugar syrup and cardamom powder. Then it is flattened to a thick paratha and cut into either diamond or square shapes. Then they are deep fried till crispy and golden brown.

On the other hand, for shakkarpara recipe, a dough is prepared without adding sugar and then either diamond or square shaped pieces are made. Then these are deep fried and added into the two-string sugar syrup and gets coated evenly. This variety is hugely popular in Rajasthan and few other subcontinents of east India.

As I have already mentioned, Shankarpali is an old recipe. In early days, packaged snacks and junk food were not normally available. At that time, our grannies and great grannies used to prepare shankarpali, gur para, namak para etc. in batches and used to keep it in glass containers. At that time, those homemade stuffs were the only wonderful delights during teatime and evening snacks. Till now, homemakers have been preserving these asset recipes and prepare them multiple times during festive season.

Since I got my senses, I have always seen my mom to prepare shakkarpara recipe in two to three batches every year during the festive season. It was compulsorily served with other snacks to guests and visitors during Dussehra to bhaidooj. But shankarapali was never prepared in our house.

But after my marriage, when I shifted to Pune, one day during Diwali festival one of our Maharashtrian neighbour aunt had given me a box of assorted sweet and savoury snacks. I tasted shankarpali recipe for the first time then and just loved it. It’s a complete moreish and almost impossible to resist yourself to devour.

For any Indian, the festive season is very special when joy is in the air. People spread only positivity, happiness and laughter. The bonding between families, relatives and friends gets stronger. Shankarpali sweet is an inimitable part of Indian culture to cherish those special moments during that festive occasion.

Though now a days shankarpali recipe is readily available in sweet shops or as packaged food in supermarkets but still, I always prefer homemade shankarpali over the market bought ones. It not only tastes better but is also much healthier than readymade ones. Though a small effort would be required to prepare it at home, but you can easily see the difference after making it at home.

Recipe for sweet shankarpali is very simple and easy to make. It requires only 7 basic ingredients to prepare the dough and each ingredient is easily available in any kitchen pantry. By spending just little bit of time, you can prepare this mind-blowing teatime snacks recipe. The best part of the recipe is that you can store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place for many days and have it whenever you crave for something sweet.

Shankarpali recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instruction’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks to make the recipe easier for you. If you follow each step of my recipe precisely then you will get the perfectly crispy and flaky shankarapali which will taste much better than the market bought ones.

All-purpose flour aka maida: It is the primary ingredient for sweet shankarpali which provides body to the mini biscuit recipe.

Sooji aka semolina: Little bit of sooji aka semolina is added with maida to make the shankarpali crispier. But it’s completely optional. If you prefer flakier texture over crispy then skip it.

Ghee: It is another most important ingredient which is used as moyen in maida. In the process of moyen, fat is added to the dough for cispy and flaky texture.

Sugar: It provides sweetness to the dish. Sweet shankarpali is moderately sweet in taste. Addition of too much sugar makes the shankarpali hard.

Milk or water: It is used to prepare the sugar syrup and helps to prepare the dough of all-purpose flour.

Cardamom powder: It is added as a flavouring agent and gives better flavour to the dish.

Salt: It is used to enhance the taste of the dish and to give a balanced taste.

Oil: It is used to deep fry the shankarapali till crispy and golden brown.

• Traditional shankarpali recipe is prepared with all-purpose flour. It gives better texture and taste to the dish.
• Addition of little bit of semolina aka sooji along with maida makes the shankarpali crispier. But it’s completely optional. If you prefer flakier texture over crispy then skip it.
• It is very important to add moyen (fat added to the flour) properly. It provides perfect flaky texture along with crispiness to the dish.
• You can use ghee aka clarified butter or refined oil for moyen. But I always prefer to use ghee for this because it gives better taste and flavour along with crispier and more flaky texture.
• You can prepare the sugar syrup either with milk or water. Milk based sugar syrup makes the dish more rich and tastier. But shankarapali prepared with water lasts longer as compared to prepared with milk. So, you can choose either milk or water for the recipe according to your preference.
• Heat the milk, sugar and ghee mixture until the sugar gets dissolved. Then switch off the flame and allow it to come to room temperature. No need to boil the syrup or else it will take longer to come to room temperature.
• Don’t add too much sugar or else your shankarpali will turn out hard.
• Don’t skip cardamom powder from the recipe. It gives better flavour to the dish.
• Addition of little bit of salt enhances the taste of dish.
• Always prepare a tight dough for the perfect texture of shankarpali. Addition of too much water makes the dough soft and addition of less water makes the dough stiff and hard.
• After preparing the dough, always cover it with wet cloth and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. It helps to relax the glutens.
• Roll the dough ball to a thick circular disc of around 1 cm. The thickness should be like a thick stuffed paratha. If you roll it too thin, then the flaky texture won’t come to the dish.
• Cut the shankarpali evenly and separate them from the rolling board with the help of knife before adding them into the oil for frying.
• The temperature of oil is very important to deep fry the shankarpali perfectly. First check the temperature of oil by dropping a piece into it. If it floats up within few seconds, then the temperature of the oil is perfect.
• Always fry the shankarpali only till the colour is golden and not golden brown.
• Put the flame in low during the time of straining shankarpali or else few of them many get over cooked in hot oil. Over frying makes it brown in colour and bitter in taste.
• After straining the excess oil transfer, them on a tissue lined plate. The kitchen tissue will absorb the excess oil.
• Let them come to room temperature before transferring them into a container or else it will become damp.

To prepare the shankarpali recipe, first take a small pan and add measured amount of sugar, milk and ghee, one by one into it. Switch on the flame and heat the mixture until the sugar gets dissolved completely. Stir frequently so that the sugar gets dissolved quickly. Then switch off the flame. Then add salt and cardamom powder into it and mix it well. Put the pan down until the mixture comes to room temperature.

In the meantime, sieve the all-purpose flour aka maida and add little bit of semolina aka sooji into it. Mix it well and keep is aside.

Then transfer the syrup into a large mixing bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour mixture at a time into the syrup and whisk it properly either with hand or with a wired whisker. Initially, make a smooth lumps free batter. Then add rest of the flour mixture slowly and knead it with hand and make a smooth and tight dough. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest for half an hour.

After resting, again knead the dough for couple of minutes. Divide the dough and make large size balls with the help of hands and flattened them. Then roll out the dough ball to a large thick chapati on a chapati board with rolling pin. Then cut them into either square or diamond shape with the help of a knife. Separate the pieces from rolling board with the help of a knife.

On the other hand, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to deep fry the shankarapali. Temperature of oil is an important factor during the time of frying shankarpali recipe. First check the temperature of oil by dropping a small piece into it. If it floats up within few seconds, then the temperature of the oil is perfect.

Add the square or diamond shaped shankarapali into the hot oil in small batches and fry them over medium low flame till golden. Then put the flame in low and strain out the sweet shankarpali from the hot oil and transfer them to a tissue lined plate.

Repeat the same process and prepare shankarpali with rest of the dough. Once they cool down to room temperature, store them in an airtight container for couple of weeks.

Many Indian snack recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check few of them like

Gur makhana
Jeera biscuits recipe
Baked mathri
Kucho nimki
Masala makhana

..And Many more…

1 cup = 250 ml

• 2 cups all-purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1 teaspoon Semolina (Sooji or rava)
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup Milk
• ¼ cup clarified Butter aka Ghee
• ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi powder)
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• Oil for deep frying

1. First take a small pan and add ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk and ¼ cup ghee, one by one into it. Switch on the flame and heat the mixture until the sugar gets dissolved completely. Stir frequently so that the sugar gets dissolved quickly. Then switch off the flame.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder into the sugar syrup and mix it well. Put the pan down and allow it to come to room temperature.
3. In the meantime, sieve the 2 cups all-purpose flour aka maida. Add 1 teaspoon semolina aka sooji into it and mix it well. Keep is aside.
4. Transfer the sugar syrup (Step 2) into a large mixing bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour mixture at a time into the syrup and whisk it properly either with hand or with a wired whisker. Initially, make a smooth lumps free batter. Then add rest of the flour mixture slowly at a time and knead it with hand. Make a smooth and tight dough and knead it for 1-2 minutes.
5. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest for half an hour. After resting, again knead the dough for another minute. Divide the dough and make large size balls with the help of hands and flattened them.
6. Sprinkle some flour on the board and roll out the dough ball to a large thick chapati with rolling pin.
7. Cut them into either square or diamond shapes with the help of a knife. Separate the pieces from rolling board with the help of a knife.
8. On the other hand, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to deep fry the shankarapali.
9. First check the temperature of oil by dropping a small piece into it. If it floats up within 3-4 seconds, then the temperature of the oil is perfect.
10. Add the square or diamond shaped pieces into the hot oil in small batches and fry them over medium low flame till golden. Once the bottom side becomes golden, turn them with the help of a slotted spoon and cook the other side till golden. Then put the flame in low and strain them out from hot oil and transfer them to a tissue lined plate.
11. Repeat the same process and prepare shankarpali with rest of the dough.
12. Once the shankarapali cools down to room temperature, store them in an airtight container in a cool dry place.

Transfer the shankarpali recipe on a serving plate and serve them with a cup of hot tea or have it when hunger calls. Enjoy your homemade Indian snacks recipe for evening with family and friends with lot of gossip during festive days.

Once the shankarpali cools down to room temperature, store it to a clean and dry airtight container for 10-12 days. Keep it in a cool and dry place and don’t use wet hands to take them out.

Shankarpali recipe | Shankarapali | Shankarpali sweet | How to make shankarpali

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes (Excluding resting time) Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

1 cup = 250 ml

• 2 cups all-purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1 teaspoon Semolina (Sooji or rava)
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup Milk
• ¼ cup clarified Butter aka Ghee
• ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi powder)
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. First take a small pan and add ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk and ¼ cup ghee, one by one into it. Switch on the flame and heat the mixture until the sugar gets dissolved completely. Stir frequently so that the sugar gets dissolved quickly. Then switch off the flame.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder into the sugar syrup and mix it well. Put the pan down and allow it to come to room temperature.
3. In the meantime, sieve the 2 cups all-purpose flour aka maida. Add 1 teaspoon semolina aka sooji into it and mix it well. Keep is aside.
4. Transfer the sugar syrup (Step 2) into a large mixing bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour mixture at a time into the syrup and whisk it properly either with hand or with a wired whisker. Initially, make a smooth lumps free batter. Then add rest of the flour mixture slowly at a time and knead it with hand. Make a smooth and tight dough and knead it for 1-2 minutes.
5. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest for half an hour. After resting, again knead the dough for another minute. Divide the dough and make large size balls with the help of hands and flattened them.
6. Sprinkle some flour on the board and roll out the dough ball to a large thick chapati with rolling pin.
7. Cut them into either square or diamond shapes with the help of a knife. Separate the pieces from rolling board with the help of a knife.
8. On the other hand, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to deep fry the shankarapali.
9. First check the temperature of oil by dropping a small piece into it. If it floats up within 3-4 seconds, then the temperature of the oil is perfect.
10. Add the square or diamond shaped pieces into the hot oil in small batches and fry them over medium low flame till golden. Once the bottom side becomes golden, turn them with the help of a slotted spoon and cook the other side till golden. Then put the flame in low and strain them out from hot oil and transfer them to a tissue lined plate.
11. Repeat the same process and prepare shankarpali with rest of the dough.
12. Once the shankarapali cools down to room temperature, store them in an airtight container in a cool dry place.