Khandvi

Khandvi (Gujarati Gram Flour Rolls)

A beloved Gujarati snack of silky gram-flour rolls, tempered with mustard seeds, sesame and curry leaves. The trick is spreading the cooked batter paper-thin while it's still hot.

Prep

20 min

Cook

30 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •100 g (¾ cup) gram flour (besan), sifted
• •120 ml (½ cup) plain yogurt, whisked smooth, full-fat preferred
• •240 ml (1 cup) water
• •2.5 g (½ tsp) salt, to taste
• •2.5 g (½ tsp) sugar, optional, for balance
• •1 pinch turmeric powder
• •1 tsp oil, plus more for greasing the trays
• •1 tsp mustard seeds, for tempering
• •1 tsp white sesame seeds, for tempering
• •10 whole (10 leaves) curry leaves, fresh
• •1 whole green chili, finely chopped, or slit lengthwise
• •1 tbsp coconut, freshly grated, for topping
• •2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped, for topping

Steps

1. 1 Grease the back of two large steel thalis or two clean baking trays with oil and set them upside down on your work surface. Have a spatula and a knife ready - you must work fast once the batter is cooked.
2. 2 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gram flour, yogurt, water, salt, sugar (if using) and turmeric until completely smooth with no lumps. Strain through a sieve if needed.
3. 3 Pour the batter into a heavy non-stick pan and place over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides, so no lumps form.
4. 4 Cook for 8–12 minutes. The batter will thin out first, then gradually thicken. Keep stirring - it must not catch or brown.
5. 5 Doneness cue: the batter is ready when it thickens to a soft, glossy paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan in a single mass, and you can see the bottom of the pan clearly as you drag the spatula through it (about 75–80°C / 170–175°F). It should coat the back of a spoon thickly and hold a trail when you draw a line through it with your finger.
6. 6 Working immediately while the mixture is hot, spoon or spread roughly one-third of the batter onto the greased back of a thali. Using an offset spatula or the back of a flat spoon, spread it as thinly and evenly as possible - aim for a layer under 2 mm thick. Repeat with the remaining batter on the second tray.
7. 7 Let the spread batter cool for 5–10 minutes until just warm and set (it should no longer feel sticky to the touch). Do not let it go cold or it will crack when rolled.
8. 8 Using a sharp knife, cut the sheet into strips about 3 cm (1¼ in) wide and 8–10 cm (3–4 in) long. Carefully lift one end of each strip and roll it up tightly into a small spiral. Arrange the rolls seam-side down on a serving plate.
9. 9 For the tempering: heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop (this takes 30–60 seconds), add the sesame seeds and curry leaves - stand back, as they will splutter. Fry for 10–15 seconds until the sesame turns golden and the curry leaves crisp.
10. 10 Add the green chili, stir for 5 seconds, then immediately spoon the hot tempering evenly over the khandvi rolls.
11. 11 Sprinkle with grated coconut and chopped coriander. Serve at room temperature as a snack or part of a festive thali.
12. 12 Safety note: khandvi is a cooked dish with no raw animal products; the gram-flour batter must be fully cooked (step 5) to be safe and digestible. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours; the rolls will soften slightly.