Make your perfect crispy and flavourful Bhakarwadi at home!
Bhakarwadi is a traditional and popular spicy sweet and tangy tea-time snack from the western part of India. This crispy Indian snack is especially popular in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
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Table of contents
About Bhakarwadi:
With this recipe, you can make your favorite shop style Bhakarwadi at home. This recipe has all the tips, tricks, and variations you will need to know about ‘How to make perfect crispy Bhakarwadi’.
This delightful snack Bhakarwadi or Bakarwadi is famous for its irresistible flavor and texture combination and enticing looks.
In simple words, sweet, spicy and tangy flavors mingled with a luxury of spices and nutty textures are packed into pinwheels. The array of nuts, seeds, and spices brings gentle warming flavors to this snack.
You can make them and enjoy your evening tea or make them in advance for your next tea party. They make a wonderful tea time snack no one can resist.
Making Bhakarwadi at home is very simple and easy. However, it takes a little time to make this snack at home. Trust me, all the efforts are worth it when you are making Homemade Bhakarwadi.
This homemade Bhakarwadi is:
✓Round shaped tiny swirls or spiral rolls stuffed with a mouth-watering tangy, sweet and spicy fillings.
✓ Made with rich masala powder made with nuts, seeds, and spices.
✓ Simple and easy to prepare deep-fried, crispy and delectable snack.
✓ So full of exotic and addictive flavors.
✓ A flour-based vegetarian and vegan snack.
✓ A perfect brunch or tea time snack.
✓ Goes perfectly well with a steaming cup of chai or coffee.
What is Bhakarwadi?
Bhakarwadi is a traditional Gujarati & Maharashtrian spicy tea time snack, which was first introduced from the Indian state of Gujarat.
This all-time favorite Maharashtrian dry snack ‘Bhakarwadi’ is a deep-fried swiss roll made of spiced all-purpose flour (maida) which is filled with a tangy, spicy and sweet nutty filling.
The strong and aromatic fragrance from the raw seeds and nuts (cumin, coriander, sesame, poppy, coconut) enhances the flavors of this snack and adds the right amount of nutty taste and crunch which you can feel in every bite.
Due to their pleasant texture, presentable appearance, flavourful and delectable taste, they are a great choice to serve with a hot cup of coffee or tea when you have guests at home.
It also makes a wonderful base for a quick and delicious ‘Bhakarwadi’ chaat which is similar in preparation with this Kala Chana Sprouts Chaat.
Since this dish ‘bakarwadi’ is made in many states, it has many different methods of preparing. Every state and region has their own version of making these delightfully, crispy, crunchy bite-sized snacks.
It’s a very famous snack amongst the Maharashtrian people. Hence, it is widely sold in the markets of Pune and other regions of Maharashtra.
This is believed that Bhakarwadi is one of the most demanded, favorite and highest-selling goods over at Chitale Bandhu shops which is a chain of stores famous for this little deep-fried snack ‘Bhakarwadi’.
The two most popular places where Bhakarwadi is very popular are the Maharashtrian cities of Pune and Kolhapur. The versions from both the cities are slightly different due to the ingredients used in filling.
Kolhapuri bhakarwadi is generally made with lots of coriander and garlic, whereas Pune Bhakarwadi does not have coriander and garlic. They taste equally delicious. Every region uses fillings of their own choice to give it a new taste and flavors.
How to make Bhakarwadi or Bakarwadi recipe
Making bhakarwadi is a little time taking but all the steps are easy to understand and follow.
This is how Bhakarwadi is made in simple steps:
Step 1 – Dough: Make bhakarwadi dough by mixing all the dough ingredients.
Step 2 – Rolling: Dough is rolled into an Indian flatbread (chapati) then layered with some enticing tamarind chutney, or lemon juice to give it a nice tang.
Step 3 – Stuffing: Then comes the stuffing part. Some truly unmatched flavourful and delicious powder fillings are spread over the chapati.
Step 4 – Shaping & frying: This flatbread is then rolled neatly into a log or a tube.
Next, they are cut into small equal bite-sized discs or roundels and deep-fried until cooked, brown, and crispy.
Can I bake Bhakarwadi?
Yes, you can bake Bhakarwadi and it tastes amazing. Since bhakarwadi is a spicy snack it brings awesomely sweet and delicious zing when baked in the oven.
I often make Bhakarwadi and baking is my preferred way of making because that way I can guiltlessly enjoy these pretty looking spirals and also the baking is absolutely fuss-free. If you want to bake bhakarwadi, then please check out the recipe box on this page.
I have given the baking instructions there.
What is the difference between Gujarati and Maharashtrian Bhakarwadi?
The method of making both Bhakarwadis is the same. The only difference is in the ingredients used in making the dough and Bhakarwadi Masala powder.
How to serve Bhakarwadi?
You can serve Bhakarwadi as an evening or late-night snack along with some garlic tomato chutney and hot masala chai (spice infused Indian style milk tea) or Indian spiced coffee. Its unmatched warming and fragrant flavors and spices will add liveliness to your tea /coffee breaks, or after-meal eats.
These also taste great with a glass of chilled smoothie such as this Coconut banana strawberry smoothie. Sweet smoothie and spicy bhakarwadis taste divine. Kids love to enjoy ‘Bhakarwadi’ this way.
Bhakarwadi is also an ideal snack for kids. You can make it ahead of time and have it ready for kids to enjoy while on a camping trip. If you are a parent, you can even make it ahead of time and have it ready for kids at home for snack time.
It is the perfect mingling of spice with crunch, the ideal snack with a cup of steaming chai.
What are Bhakarwadi Variations?
Other than this authentic version of Bhakarwadi, it also comes in some other flavors such as fenugreek (methi) bhakarwadi, garlic-flavored bhakarwadi, and pudina or mint bhakarwadi.
Then there are also baked and fried versions of Bhakarwadi which are especially made for those watching their weight. These healthified versions of Bhakarwadi have some healthy ingredients such as flax seeds (alsi ke beej), pulses, beans, and whole grains.
Other than the flavored bhakarwadi there are some handful of chaat options which are made using some raw vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, coriander leaves, chutneys and a topping of (sev) namkeen.
This is Maharashtrian style Bhakarwadi I am sharing today. In this version of bakarwadi, the outer cover is made from the combination of all-purpose flour (maida) and gram flour (besan).
You can easily store bhakarwadi for many weeks in an air-tight jar.
How to make Bhakarwadi Chaat?
For making Bhakarwadi Chaat you will need to gather some ingredients. Then this is how you do it:
Lightly break bhakarwadi with your hands. In a serving platter, arrange the bhakarwadi in a single layer.
Top with carrots, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Pour whisked yogurt over it.
Drizzle with some spicy green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. Sprinkle with sev, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, and salt. Done. Bhakarwadi Chaat immediately.
How to store Bhakarwadi?
Bhakawadi snack has a longer shelf life and storing them for weeks is fairly simple. After frying or baking, let the Bhakarwadis cool down completely on a wooden or wired cooling rack. Once cooled, you can simply store them in an air-tight container lined with a kitchen towel.
They would stay fresh for up to 2-3 weeks. Relish them with your evening tea or coffee.
Tips and variations on how to make perfect crispy Bhakarwadi:
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Making perfect crispy Bhakarwadi is easy. The trick of making best bakarwadi lies in the right balance of its ingredients, the temperature of oil, stiffness of dough, the accurate stuffing along with rolling and cutting technique. Bhakarwadi shouldn’t leak when fried in oil, and they will not leak if you follow these useful tips for making your best homemade bhakarwadi.
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I have used all-purpose flour in this recipe. However, if you are not comfortable in using all-purpose flour then you can replace it with whole wheat flour (atta). You can also use the combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour.
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Some crushed carom seeds (ajwain) can also be added to the flour mixture.
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For a variation asafoetida (hing) can also be added to the masala powder.
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If you want to make Kolhapur Bhakarwadi then you can also add minced or grated garlic to bhakarwadi masala.
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You can also add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder for some anti-inflammatory effects.
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This recipe makes slightly spicy Bhakarwadis. You can adjust the amount of spices according to your taste preference.
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If you don’t want to add garam masala powder, then you can also add a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon (dalchini) and ¼ teaspoon of clove (laung) powder to the masala.
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I have added regular red chili powder to this recipe. If you want to make it less hot then use Kashmiri red chili powder in place of regular red chili powder.
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Some people like to add some sev (fried gram flour noodles or vermicelli) to bhakarwadi masala for an additional crunch. If you like you can also add some sev either in the masalas while grinding or sprinkle it over masala powder before rolling and folding bhakarwadis.
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If you want to make them spicier, then add green chopped green chilies while roasting dry masalas.
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Always add hot oil or ghee to flour. This would give you the best tasting crispy and crunchy bhakarwadis.
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Always fry bhakarwadis on low heat, but the oil should be hot enough when you drop bhakarwadis in oil, or else pinwheels might open up while deep-frying. This will spill the spice stuffing in the oil which definitely would ruin the oil. Do not fry on high heat or else the bhakarwadi would stay soft and uncooked from inside.
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If accidentally your oil is spoiled, then DO NOT FRY the next batch in the same oil. Turn off the heat, let the oil cool down slightly and then pass it through a strainer and a couple of times. Now you can fry bhakarwadi in this oil.
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Do not stir bhakarwadi often. Also, do not flip the bhakarwadi until they are fried from one side float up to the surface.
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The good thing is that you can easily double or triple this recipe. This recipe requires some effort, so it is advisable to make them in large batches so that you can store them for weeks and relish them with evening tea.
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When adding chopped coriander leaves, make sure that the leaves are completely dried and there is no moisture in it.
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You can store bhakarwadis in an airtight container lined with a Kitchen tissue. These stay fresh for up to 2-3 weeks.
Some other popular tea time snacks are:
Bhakarwadi Recipe - How to make Crispy Bhakarwadi (Step-by-step photo instructions)
How To Make Bhakarwadi Dough:
- For making bhakarwadi dough, add the all-purpose flour, gram flour, salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix well using a spoon or fingers.
- Next, add hot ghee or oil.
- Mix it well by rubbing the flour and oil mixture between the palms and using your fingertips. Keep mixing until it oil is well incorporated in all of the flour mixtures. This would take about 3-4 minutes.
- At this point, the mixture should resemble crumbs and holds shape. To check, take some flour mixture between your palm and make a fist. If it holds the shape and does not crumble then you have added enough fat. If the dough falls to pieces, that means you need to add some more oil/ghee.
- Start by adding the water little by little and knead it into a firm dough.
- The dough should be hard yet pliable and smooth. I used around 6 tablespoons cup of water here. (The amount of water depends on the quality of the flours.)
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.
How to make bhakarwadi filling:
- Heat a heavy pan / Kadai. Once hot turn the heat settings to low.
- Add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds to the pan.
- Roast for 1 minute on low heat.
- Then add sesame seeds and dry roast for around 40 seconds.
- Add poppy seeds and roast for few more seconds.
- Next, add coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes or until it turns light golden. Keep stirring continuously.
- Add coriander leaves and roast for 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Turn off the heat and let the dry mixture cool down slightly.
- Transfer dry mixture to a spice blending jar.
- Add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, salt, and sugar.
- Blend into a coarse powder. Do not pulse too much, or else the seeds would releases oil.
- Transfer stuffing to a bowl. Keep it aside.
How to make Bhakarwadi spirals:
- Once the dough has rested for 20 minutes, uncover it. Add a few drops of oil and knead again for a few seconds.
- Divide the dough into 3-4 equal portions.
- Take one portion of dough and roll it between your palms to get to make a ball. Flatten it and make more balls with the remaining dough.
- Roll each ball into a thick roundel or circle which is slightly thicker than roti or chapati. Make sure that the dough is rolled uniformly.
- Now add some tamarind chutney to the center.
- Spread it evenly using fingers or a brush, leaving the sides.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of stuffing to the center of the roundel.
- Evenly spread masala on the dough roundel using a spoon or fingers, leaving the sides. Also lightly press the masala layer with a spoon. This step would ensure that the masala sticks well on the dough circle.
- Now begin to tightly roll the dough from one side, making sure there is no space.
- Apply some water on the other edge to seal the ends while rolling.
- Roll it into a tight log or a cylinder.
- Keep rolling further until the edges are sealed and you get a smooth log.
- Trim the edges and cut the rolled log into 1.5 cm to 2 cm sized pieces pinwheels.
- Now you will get pinwheels. Gently press and flatten each pinwheel on the top using the heels of your palms.
- This way make bhakarwadi with the remaining dough. Once done, arrange them in a layer and cover them with a kitchen towel.
How to deep-fry Bhakarwadi:
- Heat enough oil in a broad pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat to low and slide bhakarwadis into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan with bhakarwadi.
- Fry them at low to heat. Do not stir often.
- Once one side is lightly golden, flip the bhakarwadis with a slotted spoon and fry them from the other side. Keep flipping and stirring occasionally till they turn golden brown and crisp.
- Drain the fried bhakarwadi on a kitchen towel-lined plate to remove the excess oil.
- Let them cool completely on a wooden or a wire rack. Serve crispy bhakarwadi with some hot masala chai. Or store them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks.
How to bake Bhakarwadi:
- Preheat oven to 180 C/350°F. Arrange the Bhakarwadi on a baking tray lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake the Bhakarwadi for about 12 to 14 minutes or until brown and crispy.
- Once baked, turn off the oven and let them stay in the oven for 5 minutes. Let them cool down on a wire rack completely before storing them.
- When cooled, store in an airtight container lined with kitchen tissue.
- Serve crispy baked Bhakarwadi as an evening snack with a hot cup of adrak iliachi ki chai.
Recipe Card
Bhakarwadi Recipe - How to make Crispy Bhakarwadi [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 34 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 60 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Snacks | Indian | 26-28 bhakarwadi |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 65 calories | 1 fried bhakarwadi |
INGREDIENTS
For Bhakarwadi Dough
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- 3 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoons hot oil or ghee
- Water as required
For Bhakarwadi Filling:
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds (safed til)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khaskhas / Khus Kush / Post ke dane)
- 4 tablespoons desiccated or grated dried coconut (kisa hua nariyal or nariyal ka bura)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro/coriander leaves (hara dhania)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt to taste
- 3/4 tablespoons sugar or add as per taste
For Assembling Bhakarwadi:
- 3-4 tablespoons tamarind chutney or freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons water for sealing
For Frying Bhakarwadi:
- Oil deep frying
- For Baking Bhakarwadi:
- 1 tablespoon oil/ghee/butter for brushing
INSTRUCTIONS:
How To Make Bhakarwadi Dough:
- For making bhakarwadi dough, add the all-purpose flour, gram flour, salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix well using a spoon or fingers.
- Next, add hot ghee or oil.
- Mix it well by rubbing the flour and oil mixture between the palms and using your fingertips. Keep mixing until it oil is well incorporated in all of the flour mixtures. This would take about 3-4 minutes.
- At this point, the mixture should resemble crumbs and holds shape. To check, take some flour mixture between your palm and make a fist. If it holds the shape and does not crumble then you have added enough fat. If the dough falls to pieces, that means you need to add some more oil/ghee.
- Start by adding the water little by little and knead it into a firm dough.
- The dough should be hard yet pliable and smooth. I used around 6 tablespoons cup of water here. (The amount of water depends on the quality of the flours.)
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.
How to make bhakarwadi filling:
- Heat a heavy pan / Kadai. Once hot turn the heat settings to low.
- Add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds to the pan.
- Roast for 1 minute on low heat.
- Then add sesame seeds and dry roast for around 40 seconds.
- Add poppy seeds and roast for few more seconds.
- Next, add coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes or until it turns light golden. Keep stirring continuously.
- Add coriander leaves and roast for 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Turn off the heat and let the dry mixture cool down slightly.
- Transfer dry mixture to a spice blending jar.
- Add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, salt, and sugar.
- Blend into a coarse powder. Do not pulse too much, or else the seeds would releases oil.
- Transfer stuffing to a bowl. Keep it aside.
How to make Bhakarwadi spirals:
- Once the dough has rested for 20 minutes, uncover it. Add a few drops of oil and knead again for a few seconds.
- Divide the dough into 3-4 equal portions.
- Take one portion of dough and roll it between your palms to get to make a ball. Flatten it and make more balls with the remaining dough.
- Roll each ball into a thick roundel or circle which is slightly thicker than roti or chapati. Make sure that the dough is rolled uniformly.
- Now add some tamarind chutney to the center.
- Spread it evenly using fingers or a brush, leaving the sides.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of stuffing to the center of the roundel.
- Evenly spread masala on the dough roundel using a spoon or fingers, leaving the sides. Also lightly press the masala layer with a spoon. This step would ensure that the masala sticks well on the dough circle.
- Now begin to tightly roll the dough from one side, making sure there is no space.
- Apply some water on the other edge to seal the ends while rolling.
- Roll it into a tight log or a cylinder.
- Keep rolling further until the edges are sealed and you get a smooth log.
- Trim the edges and cut the rolled log into 1.5 cm to 2 cm sized pieces pinwheels.
- Now you will get pinwheels. Gently press and flatten each pinwheel on the top using the heels of your palms.
- This way make bhakarwadi with the remaining dough. Once done, arrange them in a layer and cover them with a kitchen towel.
How to deep-fry Bhakarwadi:
- Heat enough oil in a broad pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat to low and slide bhakarwadis into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan with bhakarwadi.
- Fry them at low to heat. Do not stir often.
- Once one side is lightly golden, flip the bhakarwadis with a slotted spoon and fry them from the other side. Keep flipping and stirring occasionally till they turn golden brown and crisp.
- Drain the fried bhakarwadi on a kitchen towel-lined plate to remove the excess oil.
- Let them cool completely on a wooden or a wire rack. Serve crispy bhakarwadi with some hot masala chai. Or store them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks.
How to bake Bhakarwadi:
- Preheat oven to 180 C/350°F. Arrange the Bhakarwadi on a baking tray lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake the Bhakarwadi for about 12 to 14 minutes or until brown and crispy.
- Once baked, turn off the oven and let them stay in the oven for 5 minutes. Let them cool down on a wire rack completely before storing them.
- When cooled, store in an airtight container lined with kitchen tissue.
- Serve crispy baked Bhakarwadi as an evening snack with a hot cup of adrak iliachi ki chai.
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NOTES:
- If you don’t want to add garam masala powder, then you can also add a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon (dalchini) and ¼ teaspoon of clove (laung) powder to the masala.
- To test if the oil is hot enough, add a tiny piece of the dough ball to the oil and if it sizzles, and slowly comes on the surface, your oil is ready for frying.
- Some people like to add some sev (fried gram flour noodles or vermicelli) to bhakarwadi masala for an additional crunch. If you like you can also add some sev either in the masalas while grinding or sprinkle it over masala powder before rolling and folding bhakarwadis.
- If you want to make them spicier, then add green chopped green chilies while roasting dry masalas.
- You can store bhakarwadis in an airtight container lined with a Kitchen tissue. These stay fresh for up to 2-3 weeks.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/bhakarwadi-recipe/