Make The Beloved Maharashtrian Snack Bhakarwadi With This Simple Recipe

An extremely popular Maharashtrian snack, Bhakarwadis are fried, crispy pinwheel snacks that are sweet, spicy and tangy, all at the same time. Prepared from gram flour and all purpose flour, with a filling of coconut, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and spices, you cannot stop at just a few Bhakarwadis, they are so addictive. This dish is largely prepared during festivals, and is also a great accompaniment alongside your evening tea. Although preparing Bhakarwadis at home may require some amount of effort, the results are absolutely worth it. A dish that you can't get enough of, check out this Bhakarwadi recipe that you can try out at the comfort of your home.

Bhakarwadi ingredients

For the preparation of the dough:

1. 1 cup all purpose flour/ maida
2. 2 tbsp oil (hot)
3. 2 tbsp gram flour/ besan
4. ½ tsp salt
5. ¼ tsp turmeric
6. A pinch of asafoetida/ thing
7. Water

For preparing the Bhakarwadi masala:

1. ¼ cup dry, sliced coconut
2. 2 tsp sugar
3. ¼ tsp turmeric
4. 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
5. ½ tsp amchur/ dry mango powder
6. 2 tsp sesame
7. 1 tsp fennel
8. 1 tsp cumin
9. 1 tsp coriander seeds
10. 1 tsp poppy seeds
11. ½ tsp salt
12. A pinch of asafoetida/ hing

Other ingredients:

1. 2 tsp tamarind chutney
2. Water
3. Oil

Steps to prepare homemade Bhakarwadi

Preparing the dough:

1. In a large bowl add 1 cup maida and 2 tsp of gram flour. Along with it add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp salt and a pinch of hing, and mix all the ingredients well. 
2. Add 2 tbsp of hot oil to the ingredients in the bowl and mix well. 
3. Crumble and mix the ingredients well, till the flour turns moist and holds shape.
4. Add the required amount of water and knead till the ingredients combine into a smooth and tight dough. 
5. Grease the dough with a tsp of oil, cover and let it rest for about 20 minutes.

Preparing the Bhakarwadi masala:

1. In a blender, add ¼ cup of dry coconut, 1 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel, 2 tsp sesame and 1 tsp poppy seeds.
2. Further add ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, a pinch of hing, ½ tsp amchur powder, 2 tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt.
3. Blend all the ingredients into a coarse powder and keep aside.

Preparing Maharashtrian bhakarwadi:

1. Pinch a large ball out of the kneaded dough, and flatten it. 
2. Grease a rolling base, and a rolling pin with oil, and roll the flattened dough into round or square shapes, keeping them slightly thick.
3. Spread a tsp of tamarind chutney, avoiding the sides.
4. Spread the bhakarwadi masala stuffing avoiding the sides.
5. Grease with water on either side and seal the ends while rolling the dough.
6. Roll the dough very firmly, without leaving any gaps.
7. Cut the dough roll into 2 cm pieces, or a size as per your desire. Then press and flatten the roll slightly. It helps in keeping the bhakarwadi masala intact. 
8. Heat oil in a pan, on medium heat. Then deep fry the rolls on low flame. Stir occasionally till they turn golden brown and crisp. 
9. Once deep fried, drain the bhakarwadis in a kitchen towel to drain out the excess oil and serve.

Pro tip: While frying the bhakarwadi rolls take extra precaution with the temperature and the intensity of the flame.

FAQs

1. Can homemade bhakarwadis be stored for later consumption?
Yes, these bhakarwadis can be stored in an airtight container and consumed later, for a longer shield life.

2. Is there a healthier version of the Bhakarwadi recipe?
For a healthier option, you can substitute the all purpose flour with wheat flour.