Come tea-time we have a number of cuisines that offer a great number of snacks to prepare and enjoy. Gujarati cuisine is one of the best of the cuisines to offer a wide variety of snack recipes. It can be anything from dhokla to khandvi or crisp and fun snacks. These special crisp Bhavnagri gathiya is one of the most fun snacks to enjoy at tea-time.
A few simple ingredients and you have fun Bhavnagri gathiya in no time. Here I have made them with a black pepper flavour because of my love for the spice. But you can add red chilli powder or crushed green chilli or garlic. Adding ajwain is important in all besan snacks to aid in digestion. Add hot oil to the dry mixture to make the Bhavnagri gathiya crisp and light.
Just ensure you have fresh besan to make a good quality gathiya. Serve these fun snacks along with masala tea and you have a fancy tea-time. Learn more such snacks from FOI, benne muruku, chakli, kodubale! More Gujarati dishes for you, Gujarati kadhi, methi thepla, lauki thepla, gur papdi etc. 🙂
- 1 Cup gram flour/besan/kadale hittu
- 1 Tsp whole black peppercorn
- ½ Tsp ajwain/om kaalu/carom seeds
- Salt to taste
- ¼ Tsp baking soda (optional)
- A pinch of hing
- 1 Tsp hot oil
- Water to make dough
- Oil to deep fry
- In a mortar, crush the whole black pepper into a coarse powder, keep aside
- Take the besan in a bowl
- Add ajwain, salt to taste, powdered black pepper
- Also add baking soda and a pinch of hing and mix everything well
- Heat a Tsp of oil just until its smoking point
- Immediately pour this hot oil into the besan mixture
- Mix everything well with a spoon lightly
- Now slowly add water and crumble the mixture
- Gather the mixture into a dough and finish into a soft and smooth dough
- Apply oil and keep aside, cover with a damp towel/cloth
- In a chakli maker, use the clover shaped plate, oil the insides of the chakli maker, heat oil to deep fry
- Pinch off a log from the prepared dough and fill it into the chakli maker
- Close the maker and slowly and carefully press the dough into the hot oil with circular movements to make a coil of gathiya, do this on low-medium flame
- Fry on low-medium flame till light golden and crisp
- Empty onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil
- Break into smaller pieces to get crisp gathiya
- Serve at tea-time, crispy and fun!
Do not fry on high flame, always use low-medium flame
Do not add too much water at once to make the dough, start slowly adding water, mixing as you go to get a smooth dough
Add red chilli powder if that's your preference instead of black pepper
Bhavnagri Gathiya Stepwise:
In a mortar, crush the whole black pepper into a coarse powder, keep aside
Take the besan in a bowl
Add ajwain, salt to taste, powdered black pepper
Also add baking soda and a pinch of hing and mix everything well
Heat a Tsp of oil just until its smoking point
Immediately pour this hot oil into the besan mixture
Mix everything well with a spoon lightly
Now slowly add water and crumble the mixture
Gather the mixture into a dough and finish into a soft and smooth dough
Apply oil and keep aside, cover with a damp towel/cloth
In a chakli maker, use the clover shaped plate, oil the insides of the chakli maker, heat oil to deep fry
Pinch off a log from the prepared dough and fill it into the chakli maker
Close the maker and slowly and carefully press the dough into the hot oil with circular movements to make a coil of gathiya, do this on low-medium flame
Fry on low-medium flame till light golden and crisp
Empty onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil
Break into smaller pieces to get crisp gathiya
Serve at tea-time, crispy and fun!
