Methi To Ragi: 5 Types Of Gujarati Khakhras You Must Try

Apart from its vibrant culture and rich history, Gujarat is also known for its unique cuisine. Starting from dhokla, a steamed dish made from fermented batter of rice and chickpeas, to undhiyu, a popular winter dish made from a mix of vegetables and spices such as green beans, eggplant, potatoes, and fenugreek leaves. The state is home to a diverse range of flavours and dishes, influenced by its geography, climate, and cultural heritage.

Gujarati cuisine is also famous for its wide variety of snacks that are enjoyed by people all over India. Some popular ones are fafda, gathiya, lilva kachori, and bakarwadi. These snacks are not just delicious but also healthy, as they are made using fresh ingredients. Khakhra is a popular mouth-watering snack that is also served as breakfast with chutney or pickles. This thin, crispy, and savoury delight is a healthy alternative to your regular chips and crackers, as it is low in calories and high in fibre.

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This flatbread is made from wheat flour and spices such as cumin, coriander, and sesame seeds. The dough is rolled out into thin circles, roasted on a hot griddle, and then baked until it turns crispy. But did you know khakhra comes in multiple flavours?

From methi to ragi, here are five varieties of Gujarati kharkhras you must try:

Methi Khakhra 

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 8 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons kasuri methi 
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon hing
• 2 tablespoons of oil plus for frying

Method 

• Add flour, kasuri methi, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, hing, and oil to a bowl and mix with your fingers.
• Add water little by little and knead to make a medium-soft dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 20–22 equal balls. Dust the balls with dry flour and roll them into a thin 5-inch circle.
• Make the circle as thin as possible without tearing the dough.
• Heat a griddle and put the khakhra on it. Simmer the heat to low.
• Press the khakhra with a cotton cloth and cook till brown spots appear. Flip the other side over and keep pressing with the cloth.
• Apply ½ teaspoon oil on both sides and cook till the khakhra is crisp. Keep flipping sides while cooking.
• Remove it from the griddle. Cool the khakhra completely. Serve with pickles and tea.

Masala Khakhra 

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4 

Ingredients  

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of refined flour
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 teaspoon oil
• Water or warm milk as required
• 4 teaspoons of ghee
• Salt to taste

Method 

• Sieve together wheat flour, refined flour, salt, and garam masala powder in a bowl. Add oil and enough water or milk, and knead to make a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into eight balls and roll out each ball into very thin chapatis. Heat a thick tawa, put the chapati on it, and roast on low heat.
• Apply a little ghee on both sides. Turn it and hold it down with a wooden press. When it is crisp and light brown in colour on both sides, it is done.
• Remove it, allow it to cool, and store it carefully in an airtight container, as it is very crisp and may break.

Pav Bhaji Khakhra

Total Time: 40 min.

Serves: 4 

Ingredients 

• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
• 1 crushed tomato
• 1 cup of wheat flour

Method 

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped garlic and sauté well. Next, mix all ingredients except flour and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Cool it down.
• Now, put the flour in a bowl and add the prepared puree. Bind them into a semi-soft dough.
• Make some small balls from this dough with your hand. Roll them out in the form of thin khakhras.
• Now cook them in such a way that they don’t have a single blister. Sprinkle pav bhaji masala on them and stack them one on top of another.
• Now, heat a griddle and place a khakhra on it. Press it with a kitchen towel, starting from the sides and coming to the centre.
• Flip the khakhra over and repeat the process. Repeat the same with the remaining khakhras and serve with pickle or chutney.

Pudina Khakhra 

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 5 

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted and coarsely crushed cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of oil for cooking

Method 

• Combine the mint leaves and green chillies along with 1/4 cup of water in a mixer and blend to a smooth paste.
• Now mix all the remaining ingredients with the mint paste in a deep bowl and knead into a soft dough, using water as required.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Roll out a portion of the dough into a 125 mm (5-inch-diameter) thin circle using a little whole wheat flour for rolling.
• Heat a non-stick tava and cook it on a slow flame till pink spots appear on both sides.
• Apply 1/4 tsp of oil and continue cooking the khakhra on a slow flame while pressing with a folded muslin cloth or a khakhra press, till it turns crisp and brown from both sides.
• Repeat the same with the remaining khakhras. Cool and serve.

Ragi Khakhra 

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 5 

Ingredients 

• 5 tablespoons ragi finger millet flour
• 2 tablespoons of rice flour
• 5 tablespoons of wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon lightly roasted cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon lightly roasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• Salt to taste

Method 

• Take all the ingredients in a bowl except the oil and mix them well. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and mix it with the other ingredients.
• Now knead the dough using water. Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls.
• Roll the balls like a roti. Heat a flat pan. Grease the pan with a little oil and cook each side of the khakhra for about a minute.
• Before flipping the khakhra, you can apply a little oil on top as well. Now press each side of the khakhra, especially the edges, using a masher.
• Take the khakhra from the pan after it becomes stiff and is cooked properly on both sides. Serve with pickles and enjoy.