Chekkalu

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh Rice flour(soak rice for 24hrs drain water and powder it)
• 1/4 cup Chana dal(or moong dal or both)
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 3-4 Green chillies
• 3/4" Ginger
• 2 tbsp finely chopped Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp Butter,softened at room temperature
• Salt to taste
• Oil,to deep fry

Method:

1. Soak chana dal for 2-3hrs.Drain well.You can use moong dal or a mix of both for this,they add nice taste to chekkalu.
2. Grind green chillies and ginger to a coarse paste in mixer.
3. In a big bowl mix rice flour with salt.
4. Add ground ginger-green chilli mixture,sesame seeds,torn curry leaves,soaked and drained chana dal,red chilli powder and butter and mix well thoroughly.
5. Just sprinkle few drops of water (1/4 cup approx) and knead into a dough.Do not add more water,use little amount amount of water just to combine to a dough.Knead well.If you take a small ball and try to flatten on ur palm it should crack at the ends which indicates right consistency.
6. Take a plastic sheet and smear oil over it.
7. Mean while heat oil in a kadai over medium heat to its smoking point.
8. Take a very tiny gooseberry sized ball and flatten it using your palms to a disc,on the greased sheet.Repeat the process and make 6-7 for a batch.Prick them using a fork which ensures that they don't puff up in oil.
9. Drop them carefully from sides of the kadai taking care that they don't get fold while dropping into oil and fry them and turn them to the other side and fry until golden brown in color.Always fry in medium hot oil otherwise low heat will result in very hard chekkalu and high heat will result in soft chekkalu.It is always better to taste in between to check whether you are getting the right crispiness or not.
10. Drain them on kitchen napkins to remove excess oil.When you fry them they would have light golden color which turns out deep dark brown in color after they become cool and they also become more crunchy afterwards.
11. Cool them and store them in air tight container.
12. Serve as a evening snack.