Kalakala (Shankarpali)

ByNithya Narasimhan
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This kalakala /Shankarpali recipe is an easy sweet snack recipe with just 3 ingredients and the crunchiness and taste will certainly blow your mind. kalakala served in a brass bowl and brass plate

Sharing my mom’s kalakala recipe here! This one particular sweet is always a tradition in my home especially during Diwali or any other celebrations.

As the ingredients are simple we make it occasionally and we store it for our snack and this is perfect for a snack too!

The name of the recipe called differently in other regions of India it is called as maida biscuits, sweet maida biscuits, Shankarpali, shakkar pare, Bombay Lakdi, diamond biscuits.

Everyone has their own version of this maida biscuits,

Here you go with the recipe I thoroughly cherished during my childhood! 

What is kalakala?

Kalakala is the sweetened maida biscuits made of all-purpose flour, sugar and ghee/butter.
These are rolled to a thin disc and cut into a diamond shape and deep-fried to a golden brown. It is also called diamond biscuits.

Why this recipe works:

1.Pantry friendly, all you require just 3 ingredients to make.

2. These perfectly crunchy textures and you will devour more and more.

3. Make this once and store them. This can be a perfect snack any time of your day.

How to make Kalakala:

all purpose flour, powdered sugar and clarified butter are taken on bowl
These all the ingredients to make Kalakala(Shankarpali)
flour in the glass mixing bowl
To a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour
ghee in a small sauce pan
pour ghee in a small seasoning Kadai, heat up till the ghee is warm.
ghee from a small sauce pan is being added to flour in a mixing bowl
Pour the warm ghee to the flour
sugar from a blue mug is being added to glass mixing bowl
Add powdered sugar
flour in the glass mixing bowl with spoon inside
Mix them using a spoon
a hand showing a all purpose flour taken from the glass mixing bowl
After a few minutes, combine well with your fingers. It looks crumble.
flour in the glass mixing flour is being mixed using fingers
Now, pour in water very little at a time
dough in a glass mixing bowl
Combine the flour to make a stiff dough. Let it rest for 3 hours.
a small lemon sized dough on a marble white surface
Take a dough, roll on to make a small-sized ball
flatted dough disc on a marble white surface
Roll the dough to a disc shape, little thicker like a chapati
flattend dough has been cut on the marble white surface
Cut the circle using a knife or pie cutter.
flattened dough has been cross cut to get a diamond shape
Make another cross-cut to make a diamond shape.
oil in deep iron pan
Heat oil in pan/Kadai in medium flame.
maida biscuits is deep fried in oil in iron pot
Gently add in the diamond cuts
fried shankarpali is taken from the spoon from the iron kadai
Fry on low-medium heat till they are golden in colour.

shankarpali served in brass bowl on the brass plate

Tips to make the best Shankarpali:

1. Add water to a flour very little at a time, to make a stiff dough. It has to be like a dough for poori.

2.Once the dough is made, set aside for 2 hours to 4 hours. The resting time is an absolute must to get a buttery maida biscuit.

3. Clarified butter /ghee has to be warmed up just before adding to flour that makes the diamond biscuits crunchy.

4. Once the ghee has been added, make sure to stir the flour mixture using the spoon to avoid touching the hot ghee.

5. Ground the sugar and then measure to get the required amount needed for this recipe.

Variations in maida biscuits:

1.Whole wheat flour: You can replace all-purpose flour to Whole wheat flour.

2.Cardamom: You may add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder for flavours.

3.Equal amount: You may use an equal amount of wheat flour and all-purpose flour.

FAQ:

How long can we store Shankarpali?

This shankarapali can be stored for 10  days. Store them in an air-tight container.

Can I air-fry the shankarpali?

Place them in a single layer on the tray and air fry them for 350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them halfway through.

What is the cup measurement I use?

1 cup = 250 ml and 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.

Looking for more Recipes:

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Kaju Katli

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Saffron Rice Kheer

Tender coconut Payasam

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Kalakala (Shankarpali)

  • Author: Nithya Narasimhan
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes, Resting Time - 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours , 20 minutes
  • Yield: 40 Biscuits 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This kalakala /Shankarpali recipe is an easy sweet snack recipe with just 3 ingredients and the crunchiness and taste will certainly blow your mind.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups of All-Purpose flour
  • 3/4th cup Sugar (powdered)
  • 1/4 cup Ghee (clarified Butter)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. To make the dough:
  2. To a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, salt
  3. Pour ghee in a small seasoning Kadai, heat up till the ghee is warm.
  4. Add the heated ghee to the flour
  5. Add powdered sugar.Mix them using a spoon
  6. After a few minutes, combine well with your fingers. It looks crumble.
  7. Add water very little at a time.Mix to a stiff dough and let it rest for 3 hours.
  8. To make Kalakala:
  9. Take a dough, roll on to make a small-sized ball
  10. Roll the dough to a disc shape, little thicker like a chapati
  11. Cut the circle using a knife or pie cutter. Make another cross to make a diamond shape.
  12. Heat oil in pan/Kadai in medium flame.
  13. Gently add in the diamond cuts
  14. Fry on low-medium heat till they are golden in colour.

Notes

Expert Tips:  

Add water to a dough very little at a time, to make a stiff dough. It has to be like a dough for poori.

Once the dough is made, set aside for 2 hours to 4 hours. The resting time is absolutely must to get a buttery maida biscuits.

Clarified butter /ghee has to be warmed up just before adding to a flour that makes the the diamond biscuits crunchy.

Once the ghee has been added, make sure to stir the flour mixture using spoon to avoid touching the hot ghee.

Ground the sugar and then measure to get the required amout needed for this recipe.

Variations:

Whole wheat flour: You can replace all purpose flour to Whole wheat flour.

Cardamom: You may add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder for flavours.

Equal amount: You may use equal amount of wheat flour and all purpose flour.

  • Category: sweet, Savoury, Snack
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian

Keywords: kalakala, shankarpali, maida biscuits

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3 Comments

  1. Thanks for this recipe and my fav dish shared step by step.

    Reply
    1. Nithya Narasimhan says:

      Thank you Surya

      Reply

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