Shakkar Para recipe (shankarpali) – Recipes PLaza

Shakkar para, also known as Shankarpali, is a crispy, mildly sweetened snack made with 4 simple ingredients you will have at home. These bite-sized fried Indian cookies come together quickly, and are popularly made during festivals such as Diwali and Holi.

A crispy, sweet, diamond-shaped Indian delicacy called shakkar para is typically prepared for the holidays of Diwali and Holi.

This traditional food is referred to as shankarpali in Maharashtra. Making this snack at home is worthwhile because it only requires a few simple ingredients, including maida, rava, sugar, ghee, milk, salt, and oil.

It’s a perfect snack for kids’ lunchboxes or after-school munchies and also great for munching on the go while transporting them.

Ingredients for shakkar para:

• 500 gm All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons Ghee or Oil
• 1/3 cup warm Water
• A pinch of Salt
• Oil, for deep frying

Sugar syrup

• 500 gm Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder

Instructions for Shakkar para

1. Take 500 grams of all-purpose flour and put it in a bowl to produce the perfect, crispy Shakkar Para.
2. Add 2 tablespoons ghee. Now add one pinch of salt, and mix everything well until the flour has absorbed the ghee completely.
3. When you press the flour-ghee mixture in your palm, you should get a flour lump, The mixture should be able to hold itself together without falling apart.
4. Now, little by little, add warm water, knead well, and prepare a semi-soft dough.
5. Neither too soft nor too hard. The dough should be not soft like the dough we make for chapatis or roti.
6. Now, cover the dough with a wet cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7. After 10 minutes, check the dough and knead well one more time.
8. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Take one portion and give it a round shape like a ball and then flatten it between your palms.
9. Take one part and roll it into a thick paratha of 7 to 8 inches in diameter.
10. Now with a knife cut it into any shape you want, like a diamond shape or rectangle, or squire.
11. Separate each square and keep it aside on a plate. It is okay to keep the squares on top of each other. They will easily separate when frying
12. In a Kadai or pan, warm the oil for deep frying. By placing a small amount of dough in the pan, you may check the temperature of the oil. This little bit of dough should rise to the surface rapidly and gradually.
13.  Gently, slid the cut diamonds from the dough, into the medium-hot oil.
14.  Once they turn golden brown on both sides, take them out with a slotted spoon. A slotted spoon allows most of the oil to drain out.
15. . Fry till all of them turn golden.

Make Sugar Syrup and Coat Shakkarpare

1. Now, place another pan on flame, add 500 grams of sugar, and 250 ML of water, and melt the sugar on high flame.
2. Keep the pan on low to medium heat. Stir, so that the sugar dissolves.
3. Continue cooking the sugar syrup till it starts bubbling and getting sticky.
4. After the sugar melts, add 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder, mix well, and prepare 2 to 3-thread consistency sugar syrup.
5. Switch off the heat as soon as the sugar syrup achieves a 2 to 3-thread consistency in it. Quickly, add all the Shakkarpare to the syrup.
6. Briskly stir and toss well, so that all the Shakkarpare is coated with the sugar syrup.
7. Take Shakkarpara on a plate and allow them to cool to room temperature. The sugar syrup will crystallize on cooling.
8. Now your perfect and crispy Shakkar Para is completely ready, and you can enjoy it.

tips and variation

• To make the shakkarpare crispy, do not lessen the amount of moyan (ghee or oil) used in the recipe.
• Make sure the dough is firm for crispy shakkarparas (stiff). Compared to paratha or poori dough, it ought to be more rigid.
• Fry them over medium-low heat to make them crispy.
• The sugar syrup should be cooked till it achieves a 2 or 3-thread consistency.

Serving suggestion

Shakkarpara can be served as a standalone snack or alongside other traditional Diwali foods like chiwada, chakli, methi puri, mathri, etc. In the afternoon, you may also serve them with a cup of tea or coffee.

FAQs

Q: Can I bake Shakkar Para instead of deep-frying?

A: While deep-frying is the traditional method of preparing Shakkar Para, you can try baking them as a healthier alternative. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), arrange the diamond or rectangular pieces on a baking sheet, and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they turn golden brown. However, the texture and taste may differ slightly from the deep-fried version.

Q: What are the main ingredients used in Shakkar Para?

A: The main ingredients used in Shakkar Para are all-purpose flour (maida), ghee (clarified butter), sugar, a pinch of salt, and water. Some recipes may also include spices like cardamom or nutmeg for flavoring. Additionally, oil or ghee is used for deep-frying, and powdered sugar is used to coat the fried pieces.

Q: How long does Shakkar Para stay fresh?

A: Shakkar Para has a good shelf life and can stay fresh for up to two weeks if stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. However, its texture may become slightly softer over time.

Q: Can I make Shakkar Para gluten-free?

A: Yes, you can make gluten-free Shakkar Para by substituting all-purpose flour with gluten-free flours such as rice flour, millet flour, or a gluten-free flour blend. The texture and taste may vary slightly, but it can still be a delicious snack.

Nutrition

Also read –

• Amrood (guava) ki Sabji recipe
• A Paneer Chili recipe
• Veg Pulao recipe
• Bajra paratha recipe

follow us on instagram, facebook and youtube