Shankarpali

Ingredients:

• 1 cup / 125 grams Wheat flour / atta
• 1 tablespoon / 9 grams Cornstarch / white corn flour
• 2 tablespoons / 20 grams rawa / semolina flour
• 3 tablespoons melted ghee
• OR oil
• ¼ cup / 53 grams granulated sugar of choice
• ¼ cup / 59 ml water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Ingredients for baked Shakarpara recipe –

• 1 cup / 125 grams Wheat flour / atta
• 1 tablespoon / 9 grams Cornstarch / white corn flour
• 2 tablespoons / 20 grams rawa / semolina flour
• 5 tablespoons melted ghee OR oil
• ½ cup / 70 grams jaggery / gur
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 3-4 tablespoons water to bind the dough
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Methods:

For deep fried Shankarpali –

In a microwave safe bowl add sugar , water and microwave for 30 seconds.

• Remove and stir for the sugar to melt completely.
• Alternately you may add hot water to the sugar to melt.
• Once the mixture has cooled down or a bit lukewarm add in the wheat flour ( atta), Semolina flour (rawa ), cornstarch and salt.
• Mix well to form a stiff dough.
• Wrap the dough and let it rest in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. (it's an important step for flaky shakarpara)
• Take out the dough from the fridge and divide into 3-4 parts.
• Roll each part to your desired thickness.
• Roll thin like rotis for crispy biscuits, roll thick like paratha for flaky ones.
• The rolled dough will have cracked edges that completely fine.
• Using a knife or pizza cutter cut straight lines and then diagonal lines to get diamond shape. You can even do square shape biscuits too.
• In the meantime, heat up oil in a frying pan o medium heat.
• Once warm, slowly drop in the cut cookies in the hot oil.
• Fry it on low to medium heat moving the shakarparas with the slotted spoon every 5 seconds.
• Cook them until golden brown.
• Drain them gently on a absorbent paper to remove excess oil. Let it cool completely before storing.

For Baked Shakarpara –

• In a microwave safe bowl add jaggery, water and microwave for 30 seconds.
• Rest follow the steps given for fried Shakarpara.
• Follow steps above till you rest the dough in the fridge.
• Roll the dough to desired thickness. The final outcome highly depends on the way you have rolled the dough.
• Roll it thin and you have very crunchy biscuits. Roll it thick and you have tender biscuits.
• Pre heat oven to 375 deg F. Line a baking tray with the diamond cut biscuits. Do not overlap them.
• You can bake them in batches too.
• Cook for 9-12 minutes until the edges start to brown. My cookies were done in 9 minutes.
• They will continue to cook after baking with residual heat.
• Over baking will simply harden them.