Tikha Gathiya :
Tikha Gathiya is a crunchy and spicy deep fried strands made from gram flour dough. It is a household food item in Gujarat and tastes best with deep fried chillies, carrot shreds, salad and mango pickle. Follow this easy tikha gathiya recipe and make crispy and crunchy snack which can be used as main ingredients in various types of chevdas and mixtures and enjoyed on its own too.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
| 1½ cups Gram Flour (besan/chickpea flour) |
| 1 teaspoon Carom Seeds (Ajwain) |
| 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder |
| 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder |
| 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda (soda bi carbonate), optional |
| Salt, to taste |
| 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil + for greasing + for deep frying |
| 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Water (for dough) |
Directions:
1. Sieve the gram flour in a large bowl. Add gram flour, carom seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, soda bicarbonate, 1 teaspoon of cooking oil, and salt and mix well.
2. Knead smooth dough by adding (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) water. The dough should not be very soft as well as not very stiff. Grease the dough using 1/2 tablespoon oil.
3. Take a handy Sev Machine (seviya machine). This machine comes with different types of molds.
4. Use a mold for thick sev (a mold with big holes) to make gathiya.
5. Place mold at the bottom of the machine and place dough in it. Close the machine tightly.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan or kadai over medium flame. When the oil turns hot, hold the machine over the oil and turn the handle of the machine to force the dough through the mold. Move the machine in a circular motion over the oil and turn the handle continuously.
7. Fry strands of gram flour until they become light brown for around 2-3 minutes. Remove this from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Do the same process for the remaining dough.
8. Crispy Tikha Masala Gathiya is ready. Keep it in an airtight container and store in a cool and dry place for 15–20 days.
Tips and Variations:
- If you do not like the flavor of black peppercorn or carom seeds, you can avoid them.
- You can find several machines in any Indian vessel store.
Taste: Salty, spicy and crispy
Serving Ideas: Serve this crispy gathiya snack with tea at any time during day. It is a perfect snack for your kid’s lunchbox.