Ribbon Pakkavada/Diwali Snacks.....step by step pics

Pakkavada is an easy snack......I have lovely memories of munching on them reading Archies, Phantom, Tarzen, Mandrake comics, Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton's books etc etc....come weekends Amma used to make them and I have had countless good times with them.

These days all these easy-to-do-at-home snacks are available at supermarkets....but as usual I prefer to make them at home for my hungry kids sometimes as an after school snack or as something healthy for them to munch on while watching TV or lazying with a book.

This is super crispy and crunchy and very thin ribbon like.......you do not need any special skill to make this....just get hold of a murukku press or Iddiyappam press and just press out................ya! its that simple.

I like to add black sesame seeds into the dough.....I love the way they "peep" in my pakkavada.....and I have to caution you that if your pakkavada "achu" or "plate" is as thin as mine....then I would not recommend sesame seeds cause they just stick on the hole....but if you have more patience then go ahead.

P.S. You could always crush them and add....now why didn't I think of that before......

Click for step by step murukku/ chakuli  recipe.
Ingredients:
Rice flour: 2 cups, roasted fine rice flour can be found in Asian stores, it is the same flour that you use for iddiyappam and pathiri.
Besan flour/Kadalamavu: 1 cup.
Kashmiri red chilly powder: 1 to 2 tsp, depending on your tolerance level.
Black sesame seeds: 1 tsp (optional).
Jeera powder: 1 tsp.(optional)
Asafoitida/Hing/Kayam powder: 2 fat pinch.
Oil: 1 tbsp.
Salt and water as needed.
Oil for deep frying
Method:
1. In a large vessel put in the fine rice powder and besan flour, gently rub with your fingertips to remove any lumps if any. Add, chilly powder, salt, sesame seeds, jeera, and asafoitida.

2. Mix into a soft dough using water.....grease your hands with 1 tbsp oil and mix the dough again to get a soft and pliable dough.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai. Put little dough into your "press" with the pakkavada plate at the bottom.

4. Fill the "press" with the dough and close it.

5. Press the dough into hot oil in circular way....

6. Turn over to the other side and when the sizzling sound subsides. Drain them onto a paper towel or on to a newspaper as the street vendors do. (you can see some very thin ribbons it is because the sesame seeds got struck in the pakkavada plate).

7. Do the same with the remaining dough. When all the dough is fried just give it a light crumble with your hand. Store in an air tight container.
This will stay crispy and fresh in air tight containers....ie if your kids allow.

Let the kids munch on them till their jaws ache :)

Happy Diwali to all my friends...