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Diwali Snacks

A lot of these recipes were made after watching and reading lots of other recipes. I'll try to link to some of them.

Shankarpali (or shakkarpara)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hqufRC0MWo

In a pan, heat 1 part sugar + 1 part water + 1/2 part ghee (Original recipe calls for one part). Add a pinch of salt. Bring everything to a boil and cool it. Add as much Maida as will fit into it, to make a hard dough. Immediately start preparing the shankarpali. Roll out into a thick disc. Cut into small diamonds with a crinkle cutter. Deep fry on low to medium heat in oil.

Farsi Puri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h985cGEAk0I

I pretty much did this one based on my own instincts. Mix maida, salt, ajwain, red chilli powder, a little haldi (could have skipped), lots of crushed black pepper, ghee with muthi padtu mon. Make a medium to hard dough with water. Set aside. Knead and roll into a large disk. Use a cookie cutter to cut into small puris. Dock with a fork and deep fry on low (the oil should be hot when you add the puris, but then fry low and slow to make it crispy).

Chakli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ODquJkM7iM

I actually used my mom's recipe. Rice flour + handful of besan (this is my addition) + salt + roasted crushed cumin + good amount of sesame seeds + red chilli powder + soft butter + yoghurt + water to make a soft dough. Make chaklis on the aluminium chaklo (or an invferted plate). Pick up with a spatula (trick I learned from the video) and fry in oil on medium.

Chevdo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuetmjAUi4I

I liked her style of draining out the oil.
Add a big handful of thick poha in really hot oil. Fry for a few seconds (do not brown), and drain into another stainless steel strainer. Once it's drained properly, transfer to another bowl. I took about a total of two cups of poha. Also fry 1 cup of peanuts and 1 cup of daliya. I know mom used to also use sliced coconut. Add salt, red chilli powder, haldi, sugar and crushed citric acid. Cool before storing.  

Peda
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO-ckJnROrk

This was a bit tricky. Knowing when to add sugar is the key. Most recipes says wait till the khoya cools, which is true, but not completely, otherwise, sugar won't melt.

In a microwave, heat crumbled khoya in one minute bursts for 2-3 minutes. Add saffron soaked in milk and microwave for one more minute. Let it cool. Add sugar and cardamom, knead and form into pedas. Garnish with pista.

Of course, there were also  frozen cholafali and mathia.

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