Kalkal or Kulkul are fried cookies which are prepared in India during Christmas. I am not sure about the authentic historical facts of the origin of these cookies. But based on my readings, these were started by the the Portuguese in India. Baking was never part of Indian culinary culture. We never had ovens in our kitchen. So probably when Portuguese came to India, as per Indian festival culture they were forced to prepare their cookies by frying them at the occasion of Christmas and which they named as kal kal or kul kul cookies.
Originally, kalkal dough has egg along with other ingredients and it is kneaded with coconut milk. But I have omitted egg and have used normal cow’s milk.
While reading about Kal kal cookies, I found them very similar to our Indian traditional Shakkarpara where we add sugar in the dough instead of preparing sugar syrup separately.
The difference between Kalkal and Shakkarpara is that Shakkarpara is crisp sweet snack and kalkal cookies have crisp outer layer and are soft from the inside.
We never add egg in any kind of Shakkarpara recipe whereas in orginal recipe egg is added in kalkal dough.
Shakkarpara dough is kneaded with water and it helps in keeping Shakkarpara crisp. Kalkal dough is kneaded with milk and is soft from the inside after frying.
What is the reason behind this shell shape for these cookies? Honestly speaking, I didn’t care much to know. I really liked this unique shape and was excited to try them.
The sugar quantity in Kulkul was perfect for me. It was neither less nor overly sweet. But to give a Christmas atmosphere we can sprinkle some powdered sugar on cookies after frying and can reduce 2-3 tbsp sugar while adding in the dough.
I know I am a bit late to talk about Christmas atmosphere and Christmas cookies, but aren’t we always ready to give us some sweet treat..!!
Few points to remember:
- Don’t prepare very thick kalkals. We fry them in a rolled shape. They might remain raw from inside if they will be very thick.
- Fry them on sim heat, so that they are properly fried from inside also.
- For some crunch I have added samolina /rava in the ingredients. But if you are not comfortable, skip it and add same quantity of flour.
- These cookies can be prepared with wheat flour also. Wheat flour absorbs more liquid, so you might have to add milk slightly more than mentioned in the recipe.
- If you want to make larger kalkals, use comb in place of fork.
- While sealing the edges of kalkals, hold kalkal from both the sides instead of holding from the middle. Holding from the middle will ruin the shell shape.
- Don’t forget to seal the edges otherwise while frying closed shell shape will turn into open shell shape.
Ingredients :
White flour (maida) 120 gm
Fine powdered sugar 50 gm
Suji/Rava 22 gm
Powdered cardamom 1/2 tsp
Butter 25 gm
Milk 2 tbsp (reduce or increase a little if required)
Oil for frying
Process :
Collect all ingredients except milk in a pan.
With the help of your fingertips mix butter in the flour. After mixing, flour will become grainy in texture.
Add milk and prepare dough, cover it and keep it for resting for 15 minutes.
After resting time, divide the dough in equal parts and prepare tiny balls. Grease butter on the back side of the fork and prepare Kulkuls by spreading and rolling dough ball on it.
Seal the edges nicely by holding kulkul from the both ends. Prepare all Kulkuls in the similar manner. Heat oil in a pan and on sim heat fry kulkuls.
To give festive mood, sprinkle powdered sugar on kulkuls and enjoy your crisp and soft fried cookies with your friends and family members.
These look really delicious! I am going to save this recipe so I can try it after exams 😀 Thanks for sharing!
Sure, Anupriya 👍👍
Thank you so much 😊
All the very best for your exams!!
Aww..thank you!
Really look delicious! 🙂
Thank you very much Lynette 😊
Children always like this type of cookies! 😊
Yes Suni, they are fortunate also to digest everything!!
Crisp on the outside and soft inside, I think are the perfect cookies 😉
Ribana, cookies came out really well and got disappeared also very quickly!!!
Thank you so much 😊
Interesting! They do look nice!
Thank you very much Stella😊😊
These sound like great cookies! And so pretty with the sugar sprinkled on top!
Thank you very much Nancy😊☺️
I agree, powdered sugar gave winter touch to cookies!!
Looks yummy 👍
Thank you very much Deepika☺️☺️
They look yummy Deeksha, easy to make too. Kids will love them 🤩
Thank you very much Prashanti 😊 😊
Yes, kids will love them and finish them also pretty soon 😀😀
To be honest, it’s the first time I read that cookies can be fried. The story of how he arrived in India through the Portuguese, if it is interesting. Clash of cultures. The recipe is not difficult and the photos are enough to prove. A good weekend for you.
Mac, even though In India we fry a lot, but still these cookies were new to me. Google is definitely wonderful in exploring new ideas and upto some extent making the world smaller.
Enjoy your weekend!!
Though I have not prepared it, I have eaten it. A friend of mine prepares it for Christmas.
Must try 🙂
Looks like I am the only one who had never tasted them. Probably I need to increase my friend circle 😁😁
That looks yummy.. like the syrup poured over version.. 😉
Syrup version is also my daughter’s favorite. We have grown up eating them during festivals.
Thanks a lot Lisa and wishing you a very Happy New Year.
Oh wow! I always used to wonder how they get that shape. Now I know 😊. Thanks
Giving this shape is slightly time consuming but it is fun also.
Thank you so much Radhika 😊☺️
Oh my God Deeksha 🙂 your post took me back to my college days. I remember making & eating them along with rose cookies with my friends in PG.
That’s wonderful Monika… chalo yaadei taaza ho gayi !!
Though it was my first attempt but preparing them was really fun and they tasted great.
Thank you so much 😊 😊
They look so good Deeksha. Yummy!!! Can’t we bake them instead of deep frying?
Thank you very much Vinutha😊i
Of course you can bake them, but then the recipe will be different. You need to increase butter along with baking soda /powder.
Never heard of these but Shakarpara? certainly! Never enjoyed them but it was regular in our homes during growing up years.
Arv, I guess we all grew up with Shakkarpara without worrying about sugar, frying and white flour.
I guess these cookies are also part of that tradition in the absence of oven in India.
That’s the only overdose we all had when it came to unhealthy choices. Prepackaged junk was unheard and not available.
But remember, we used to digest everything !
Only Doordarshan, no mobile and no school van…so we used to play and walk everywhere. Homemade festive food and homemade sweets only.. good old days!!
True. I guess each generation feels the same way. Probably, our ancestors had even less choices and it was all local cuisine. 😊
Agreed!
😊
Beautiful
Thanks a lot!!
Pleasure is all mine
I can just see those disappearing super fast.
Gia, thanks a lot 😊 they certainly disappeared in minutes.
Simply love them
Thanks a lot 😊😊
Thank you very much 😊
The look delicious 😍😋😋😋
Thanks a lot 😊😊
Your welcome ❤️
Love these delicious bites, Happy new year !
Thank you very much 😊 😊
Seems deliciuos😋…Kul Kul in German means greens.
Thanks a lot Kelvin. Nice to know German meaning also 😊☺️
Ahaa…You do too??
Yes, knowing synonyms in different languages is interesting!
Again another cute “creation!” They look not only delicious, but also fun and adorable.
I am imagining the laughter and love in your kitchen!
Hi Oscar, you are absolutely right. While preparing Kulkuls, my friend was with me in the kitchen and we were having a wonderful time with chatting and cooking. It was sure a fun day in the kitchen!!
Thank you so much 🤗😊
Wow! How nice! The best way to share happiness with people! And, it makes the food taste even better. Well done, Deeksha. ^^
I can’t even boil water properly, leave alone cooking. But I love looking at your wonderful creations. Wow
Parneet, thank you very much 😊
Shankarparas are my favorite and I love eating the soft crunchy ones too. Awesome presentation, Deeksha and they look so delicious and yummy.
Kamal, I believe we all grew up eating Shakkarpara during festivals and we all loved them.
Thank you so much for appreciating the post 😘❤️
Yes Deeksha and that was our Indian speciality during holidays. Welcome 😊😊😊😊 always
The shape is so good nd they luk delish 😍. Gr8 info too Deeksha
Shape is sure an attractive factor which forces us to prepare them.
Thank you very much 😊😊
Agree
Dee, you have the most unique recipes. These look right out delicious! I enjoyed the little bit of history you gave as well. Thank you!
Thank you so much Amy. Fried snacks always go well with our taste buds😃😊
Sounds yummy! Like a small fried donut.
Thank you very much Lisa 🤗
Yes, we can call them tiny shelled donuts, a new version of donut 😊
Yummy!
Looks delicious.. .never heard or seen them before..
Thanks a lot Chiru.
Kulkuls taste really good and a lot similar to to Indian Shakkarpara, but even I wonder why they are not popular 🤔
Not so common right…
Right👍
Amazing cookies
Thank you so much 😊🤗
I made gnocchi like this…but sweet version is great👍
Thanks a lot Jyo.
After gorging gnoochi we can have kulkuls for desserts…😃
How cute and nice.
Thank you very much Rozina 😊
Anytime 🌷🌷🌷
Wow these look incredible! I’m gonna save this recipe and try it within the next few days!
I guess recipe will go well with your taste buds.
Thank you so much for your lovely appreciation 😊😊
These look delicious and your instructions are perfect! I think I might try to make them. Thank you so much for stopping by my page and liking my post. I appreciate it so much! I’m so glad to now visit yours <3
Mindy, feelings are completely mutual and thank you very much for your kind words of lovely appreciation for the post😊🤗
An interesting holiday treat and one I’ve not experienced. We always make Mexican Churros for Christmas which I think is similar to Shakkarpara, so your Kal kal cookies would be a fun cook.
Ron, I believe somewhere in all different cultures a few certain types of dishes are prepared more or less in the same way.Probably Kulkuls, Churros and Shakkarpara fall in the same category with the difference of their shape and name!!!
Hi 🙂 I have nominated you for a Sunshine Blogger Award! I love all the content you post. If you would like to qualify, you need to answer 11 questions I posed to all the bloggers I nominated, and link back to my blog in your post. You can get all the details here: https://lindsayscookingadventures.wordpress.com/2020/01/22/sunshine-blogger-award/
I am truly humbled and grateful for the nomination.
Right now I am slightly busy with personal commitments Will soon try to get back with all the required details.
Thank you very much 😊😊
These look delicious! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe ❤️
Ramyani,thank you very much 😊😊
Thank you very much Ramyani ☺️
Welcome 😊
Hui Diksha I love your blogs please like my blogs related to study where I will give amazing study tips for students
Dewashish, thanks a lot for visiting the blog.
I tried to check your blog but getting the message,”web page is not available”.
These look really good. I will have to keep them in mind.
Thank you very much Anca ☺️☺️
These look delicious!!!
Thank you very much 😊 😊
Dear Deeksha, so happy to be back here and reading your beautiful recipes! And I feel so lucky right now – for my mother-in-law (a really sweet lady whom I love very much!) has asked me if I knew any good, Indian recipes – and I am sending your blog to her 🙂 🙂 🙂
(which – oh, yummy yummy!! – means I am going to get to try your recipes for free!!!) 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wishing you a marvellous week, dear friend, with full of sweet surprises! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dear Elena, I am so sorry for replying so late for such a beautiful comment 😘
was extremely busy with medical emergencies.I really need sweet surprises.
You made my day with such heartwarming,kind words. I am sure your mother in law is very fortunate to have you in her family. I hope that she would find recipes useful and interesting .
Thank you once again Elena for your lovely, sweet words❤️😘🤗
Wishing you too a wonderful weekend!!!
Dear Deeksha, it is very important that our activity here does not stress us (as I know so well, from personal experience! ;)) There are enough stressful things in our life already! 😀 Believe me, I am glad to hear from you whenever you have the time and opportunity! But I do not want you to feel bad about spending time on your family, friends, or – yourself! 😉 🙂 🙂
I am deeply concerned to hear about the medical emergencies however, and I am sending my love and best wishes to you and yours all!
I know some things about nature, herbs and health… please feel free to ask, dear Deeksha. 🙂
Health and blessings, my friend! 🤗💖
Really looks tasty 😊😊😄
Thanks for sharing the recipe
Thank you very much Urvashi😊☺️
Very delicious, watering
Thank you very much!
It looks so tasty, children will definitely love it
Subbashini, kulkuls were really nice in taste and yes because of shape also probably kids loved them!
Thank you so much 😊
Looks so attractive…
Love that.
My late mosee used to make them in diamond shapes.
Thank you very much Kavita. I am sure your mousi would be a wonderful cook!!
This sounds so yummy! We have something similar here. We cut the bits with scissors.
Gina, I believe we all have something similar in our cuisines no matter how far we live. Food definitely brings the world together!!