Karam Gavvalu Recipe | Easy Crispy Andhra Snack

Karam Gavvalu recipe is a traditional Andhra snack made with wheat flour or maida. It is crispy, spicy, and very tasty. The word “Karam” means spicy, and “Gavvalu” means shells.

Karam gavvalu are usually prepared during festivals, special occasions.. This snack get its name because the dough is shaped like small shells and fried in oil. It is easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients.

They are very easy consumables, we can take a bunch of them and enjoy. I used to pack them to my school for the snacks break. We never had a special snack break but whenever we find time we can have light snacks like this.

To make Karam Gavvalu, we need wheat flour, all purpose flour or sometimes we can use rice flour too to get crispy. Add red chili powder, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, salt, a little butter or hot oil, and water.

Make the shells using gavvalu peeta or a special tool to make gavvalu. We can use fork also shape gavvalu. We need oil for deep frying. The amount of chili powder can be changed according to taste.

Here in this recipe I am using wheat flour and all purpose flour. We can always keep changing from wheat flour to maida or rice flour.

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl and add wheat flour and maida.

Add all the dry ingredients like salt to taste, red chili powder, and cumin seeds. Mix all them well. Then add a little butter or hot oil. This helps the Gavvalu become crispy.

Slowly add water and make a soft and smooth dough. The dough should not be too hard or too soft. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

After resting for 15 mins, take a small portion of the dough and make a small ball. Traditionally, a Gavvalu shape is made by pressing the dough on a Gavvalu board or the back of a fork.

Roll or press the dough carefully to create small shell-like lines. Repeat the same process with the remaining dough. These gavvalu can be prepared and kept readily available to fry. But we need to cover them with a damp cloth.

Heat oil in a deep pan on medium flame. Check if it is enough hot or not by dropping a tiny piece of dough into it. If it rises slowly, the oil is ready for frying. Carefully add the prepared Gavvalu to the hot oil. Do not add too many at once because they need enough space to fry properly.

Fry the Gavvalu on medium flame until they become golden brown and crispy. Stir them gently from time to time so that they cook evenly. Once they are ready, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel. This helps remove extra oil.

Allow the Karam Gavvalu to cool completely before storing them. They can be kept in an airtight container for several days.

Karam Gavvalu is a delicious homemade snack that goes well with tea or coffee. Its crispy texture and spicy flavor make it a favorite for many people. It is also a wonderful example of traditional Andhra cooking passed from one generation to another.