As festive season has already begun, today I bring you one of the most famous sweets prepared during Diwali Shankarpali recipe with a twist – using whole wheat flour.
Indian festivals are all about recipes as in delicacies from varied cuisines, isn’t?
Ready to prepare mouth watering sweets for kids?
I remember helping my mother making Diwali sweets and distributing among friends and neighbors. The days really hold special place and now I miss those days with nostalgic feelings looking back to childhood memories and Maharashtrian food associated with Diwali. The most important part was gorging on the home made sweets that are prepared during the festival of lights.
Shankarpali or shankarpalle is one of the famous authentic Maharashtrian recipes prepared during Diwali. The popular Gujarati snack is also called shakarpara. It is also known by names like diamond cuts, namakpare, maida biscuits or thukkudi.
Usually Shankarpali is made up of maida and semolina.
In today’s recipe I have used wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. During festive season kids demand more of sweet dishes, so why not give these sweets a healthy twist. Shankarpali is a rich source of Carbohydrates making it apt for festive season.
Today’s recipe comes from my mother in law’s treasure as she was the one who gave me the idea to prepare this sweet dish using wheat flour.
So let’s start them step by step.
Step by step shankarpali recipe for kids:
Warm milk and add sugar, cardamom powder. To make the dough, knead a dough of wheat flour, salt and oil.
Add in warmed up milk with sugar and cardamom. The dough should be stiff to make crisp shankarpalis.
Making 2 equal portions of the dough, roll on a flat surface with chapatti rolling pin. Seal the cracks if any on the dough with your fingers and roll again. Cut the dough into square or diamond shapes using a knife.
Deep fry shankarpali on medium to low heat till they turn golden on both sides. Drain the excess oil in tissue paper and let it cool. Yummy sweets are ready to serve.
You can make shankarpalis in bulk and store in an air tight container. These can be given to kids as an evening snack.
- Wheat flour or atta - 1 and ½ cup
- Powdered sugar - ¼ cup
- Milk - ⅓ cup
- Cardamom powder or elaichi - ½ teaspoon
- Salt - to taste.
- Oil - 2 teaspoon and for deep frying
- Warm up the milk, add in sugar and cardamom powder and keep it aside.
- Lets make the dough:
- In a bowl, add in wheat flour, pinch of salt and oil and mix well.
- Next add in the milk and sugar mixture. Mix well, knead into dough. Make sure the dough is stiff and not too soft or sticky type. If the dough is sticky you won’t get a crispier shankarpalli.
- No need to rest the dough. Make two equal portions of the dough.
- Roll it on a flat surface. I used the chapatti rolling pin.
- Put a little pressure to roll the dough as the dough is little stiff.
- You will see the cracks when you roll the dough. Just seal it with your fingers and roll it again.
- After rolling take a knife and cut the dough into the shapes you like. I had cut it in square shapes you can give the shape of diamond also.
- In a pan add oil for deep frying in a medium low heat fry the shankarpali one by one.
- Keep turning sides in between for even browning. Fry them till golden brown on both the sides.
- Remove them in tissue paper.
- Allow it to cool.
- Cardamom powder is optional.
- There is no need to rest the dough.
- To check whether the oil is hot or not drop a small piece of dough into the oil if it comes up the oil is ready to use.
- There are different styles of making shankarpali. This method is pretty simple and healthy.
- You can make savory version of shankarpalis using pepper, salt, cumin and ajwain if your kiddo is not fond of sweets.
Do try this sweet shankarpali recipe and let us know how kids loved it.
You can also try the thinai halwa and coconut ladoo recipes this Diwali.
Happy Diwali!
