Shakkar Para Recipe | Shankarpalli Recipe

Shakkar Para is tasty sweet made with wheat flour, ghee and sugar. It is cut into small diamond shapes and fried till it turns golden brown, then coated with light sugar syrup which gives a coating on top and sweet taste. It is one of those sweets that brings homely and festive feeling at the same time.

This Shakkar Para is quite popular in many North Indian homes, mostly made during Diwali or small family get-together. It is very simple to make and stays good for many days, so people even take it while traveling. The ingredients are very basic but taste mainly depends on right frying and proper sugar coating. It may look small but every handful feels satisfying and full of flavor.

Jump to:

• About Shakkar Para
• Shakkar Para Ingredients
• How to make Shakkar Para Step by Step
• Expert Tips
• Serving and Storage
• FAQS
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About Shakkar Para

Shakkar Para is a traditional sweet which is between biscuit and cookie. The dough is made using wheat flour, little rava and small spoon of ghee, then rolled and cut into diamond shapes before frying. The fried diamond pieces are coated with sugar syrup which hardens later which makes it crunchy.

It is one of those old recipes passed down from grandmothers, always made in big tin boxes for family to enjoy. The texture comes out very crisp and gives nice crunch sound when you bite but still melts softly later.

The sugar coating is the best part in this sweet. The syrup is boiled till it reaches one string consistency, then the fried pieces are mixed so every piece gets coated evenly. When the syrup cool down, it becomes a fine white layer giving shiny and crunchy look. Getting that syrup right needs a bit of practice but once you get it, making becomes very easy.

There are many variations for this sweet. Some people use maida instead of wheat flour, some add pinch of cardamom or saffron for extra aroma. You can even make it with jaggery if you prefer earthy sweet taste. Every version has its own charm, but the wheat one feels more homely and rustic.

I usually make this sweet during holidays when everyone are at home. The smell of fried dough fills whole kitchen and I end up tasting few before even coating with syrup. This is one snack that never stays long in jar once made.

Shakkar Para Ingredients

• Wheat flour - I have used wheat flour for making the dough. It gives wholesome taste with light nutty flavor. You can also use maida if you want.
• Fine rava - I added little fine rava because it helps to make it more crisp and keep its shape better. You can skip if you do not have, but adding it really gives nice crunch.
• Ghee - I used ghee for that rich taste and soft texture. Butter can also be used, but honestly ghee gives better flavor in this recipe.
• Milk - I have used milk for kneading so the dough bind smoothly. It gives mild sweetness too. You can also add water if you like it less rich.
• Sugar - I used sugar for making light syrup that coat the fried pieces nicely. You can replace it with jaggery also for different earthy flavor.
• Oil - I have used oil for deep frying till golden and crisp. Any neutral flavored oil that you use normally for frying will work fine.

Similar Recipes

• Bread Jamun
• Paneer Jamun
• Maa Ladoo
• Shahi Tukda
• Bread Kheer

How to make Shakkar Para Step by Step

1.In a mixing bowl, take wheat flour, add ghee and fine rava to it. Then take it out and knead it once.

2.Mix well with your hands, it ill resemble bread crumbs. When you press it it should hold together that is the right texture.

3.Now add milk little by little to form a smooth non sticky dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and rest for 10 minutes.

4.Now knead it once, then roll it using a chapati roller slightly thick. Then using a knife or pizza cutter draw lines to form small diamonds as shown below.

5.Carefully separate the pieces. Now heat oil - add few pieces, do not overcrowd. It will slowly come up and change color. Do not keep the flame in high, low medium should be fine. Keep rolling and flipping over to cook evenly.

6.Deep fry till golden brown on both sides. Take it out and drain in tissue paper. Likewise fry the remaining, Set aside.

7.To make sugar syrup - First take sugar in a pan, add water to it till immersing level, keep stirring till sugar completely dissolves.

8.Cook till the syrup becomes thick. Keep a small plate with water in it, when you pour a drop the sugar syrup it should not dissolve and it should stand still like shown. That is the right consistency, now switch off.

9.At this stage add the cooked biscuits into the sugar syrup. Toss it well for even mixing and coating of sugar syrup. In few minutes it will become dry with sugar coated on the biscuits.

Cool down, spread it then store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

• Dough texture - The dough must be soft and smooth, It should not be very tight. If it feels little dry, I just sprinkle some milk and knead it again till it comes together nicely.
• Rolling - Do not roll too thin, otherwise it become hard after frying. I mostly keep medium thick like small crackers so it stay crisp and light.
• Oil temperature - Always fry on medium heat. If oil is too hot, outside become brown fast but inside stay soft.
• Sugar syrup - Cook syrup till sugar syrup does not dissolve, but not too thick. That gives best coating without stickiness.
• Storage - Let it cool fully before storing. Closing while warm will make it lose crispness.

Serving and Storage

Serve Shakkar Para with hot tea or coffee in the evening time. It goes well with some savory snacks also if you like to mix sweet and salty taste together. Store it in airtight container or glass jar and it stay good for 10 to 15 days in room temperature. Keep it away from moisture and always use dry hands while taking.

FAQS

1.Can I make this using maida?

Yes you can, maida gives more light and flaky texture, while wheat flour give little earthy taste.

2.Can I skip rava in this recipe?

You can skip, but adding rava makes para more crispy and gives nice bite.

3.Can I use jaggery?

Yes you can use jaggery syrup instead of sugar syrup, it gives more deep and traditional flavor.

4.How to know when syrup is ready?

When you drop little syrup in water and it form 1 thin string without melting, that means it is ready.

5.How long can I keep Shakkar Para?

It stay fresh for about two weeks if you keep properly in airtight jar and store in cool dry place.

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