Fafda with Jalebi is not a breakfast, but an emotion!
What is fafda made of ?
Fafda is a crispy snack. It is mainly made of besan/chickpea flour with some spices and baking soda. It is served with crispy deep fried sweet pretzels Jalebi. This breakfast is so special to Gujaratis that it is a Sunday special in many homes. It is also a special breakfast on Dussehra or Vijayadashami.
Those who do not know much about Gujarati Cuisine, have learnt it by watching television. In Taarak Mehta ka ulta chashma, India's longest running comedy, Jethalal is crazy about it and so are we. Fafda is best served with a raw papaya salad and fried chilli along with sweet syrupy jalebi. While fafda is vegan, jalebi can be made vegetarian as well. We fry it in ghee to get an extra crispy texture.
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Fafda is the most easily available breakfast wherever you travel in the western state of Gujarat in India.if you are having this on it own for the first time, you may not appreciate the madness around this, however if you combine this with the papaya sambhara,chutney and fried green chillies , you will enjoy it more and the combinati0on of Jalebi brings its importance when you feel that heat from the chillies and you want to balance this.
India is a land of festivals and every festival has a special dish to celebrate. Be it til patti of Makar Sankranti or thandai of MahaShivratri.Malpua of Holi or Peda of Janamashtami. Modak of Ganesh Chaturthi or Kaju katli of Diwali.
Equipment
- Frying pan
- or air fryer for low oil version
Ingredients
- Chickpea flour /besan /garbanzo flour
- Warm water
- Hot oil
- Baking soda
Spices
- Turmeric powder / haldi
- Carom seeds / ajwain
- Asafoetida / heeng
- Black pepper
- Salt
Step-by-step instructions for Gujarati Fafda recipe
- Mix all dry ingredients (including ⅛ teaspoon baking soda) with 1 tablespoon oil( hot) without adding water first.
2. Add minimal water and knead into a semi hard dough.
3.Take a small piece of dough. Roll it into a long and flat shape on a baking sheet or silicon sheet. Traditionally done on a wooden board, but not that easy without experience as the dough would stick.
4.Deep fry it in oil on medium heat. Flip and cook evenly on both sides till rawness disappears.
5. Serve hot with crispy jalebi.
How to make fafda in air fryer?
- Preheat the air fryer for 6 mins at 190 deg C. Air fry them at 190 deg C for 7 -8 mins.Flip and spray oil once in between the cook.
Serve hot with crispy jalebi, chutney and raw papaya salad or sambhada.
Serve hot with crispy jalebi, chutney and raw papaya salad or sambhada.
Fafda recipe
Equipment
- frying pan
- or air fryer for low oil version
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour /besan /garbanzo flour
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon oil hot
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Spices
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder / haldi
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds / ajwain
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida / heeng
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients with oil without adding water first.
- Add minimal water and knead into a semi hard dough.
- Take a small piece of dough. Roll it into a thin,long and flat shape.
For traditional frying
- Deep fry it in oil on medium heat. Flip and cook evenly on both sides till rawness disappears.
For low oil air fryer version:
- Preheat the air fryer for 6 mins at 190 deg C.
- Air fry them at 190 deg C for 7 -8 mins.Flip and spray oil once in between the cook.
- Serve hot with crispy jalebi, chutney and raw papaya salad or sambhada
Notes
How to make papaya sambada?
For raw papaya salad or sambhada , grate raw papaya and temper with mustard seeds, chillies, salt, turmeric and curry leaves.
Serving suggestion
Serve crisp fafda with ghee laden jalebis, fried green chillies ,chutney and papaya sambhada.
Top tips
- Traditionally , fafda is rolled by hand, but it requires good expertise. Hence making it with rolling pin is an easier option.
- Papad khar is also used in place of baking soda, however since its not that easily available, you may use baking soda.
- If you knead a soft dough, then you will not get that crisp fafda.
More Gujarati recipes?
You will be amazed at the variety of vegetarian breakfast in Gujarati cuisine. Do try these yummy recipes for an easy breakfast on a weekday.
Click here to see more recipe videos.
Versatile chickpea flour recipes
We use chickpea flour ( also known as besan gram flour) to make many Indian dishes. Every community has its signature dish. It is a vegan protein. This ingredient is both filling and cheap. You can use it to make both sweets and savories. Make a boondi laddu or besan barfi. This is a special for Ganesh chaturthi much like the modaks. Sindhis even use it to make breads like besani or mains like Sindhi kadhi. Be it Punjabi pakode or Gujarati dhokla . Be it Rajasthani Gatte ki sabji or Punjabi pakode wali kadhi. Marathis make amazing batata vada while Rajasthanis their mirchi vada. There is always a such is the fan-following behind besan.
Ramesh says
Traditional breakfast nicely made