‘Sakinalu’ is a snack that is legendary to Telangana’s original cuisine. It is a delicious testament to the excellence of Telangana’s original cuisine. In the recent popularity of Telangana’s ethnic foods, its origins such as sakinalu, murukku/murukulu, sarva pindi, etc. have been watering the mouths of many in and around Hyderabad.
Even though Telangana is famous for its Biryani, Irani chai, Osmania biscuits and Haleem, there are a lot more dishes that are pretty famous in the city. They are the one that are specially prepared in the cultural districts of Telangana and carry heritage with every bite. A legend says that festivals are noted by the food prepared during its time. Another legend says that food is known by the festival at which it is prepared at. Alas, at Desiauthentic, we celebrate Sakinalu throughout the year. Generally though, these mouth-watering crisps are a festive delicacy prepared during the festival of kites – Sankranti. The northern part of Telangana is famous for giving birth to this amazing snack. Even today, most Sakinalu and other snacks are made in the northern part of Telangana.
Although considered to be a regional food, one can find Sakinalu in several general stores, supermarkets, sweet shops and the rest. While some of its popularity can be owed to its taste, some of it is also owed to the traditional method of preparing them and also the speciality that they carry in them. There are hardly any snacks that taste similar to Sakinalu. This distinctive taste holds Sakinalu at a distinction among its peers.
One can find Sakinalu in several tastes and types these days. However, there are two main types of Sakinalu that satisfies a wide array of eaters alike. The most famous type or simple, plain Sakinalu are made with rice flour and deep fried in oil. The other famous one is known as ‘karam sakinalu’ which is made with red chilly paste. It is a spicier take on the same recipe. This is famous because the people in Telangana prefer a spicier palate that is different from the other states. The recipe is just as traditional as the snack. The most common recipe includes rice, sesame seeds, ajwain seeds (carrom seeds), salt and oil. Although the recipe contains simple ingredients, the method of making Sakinalu is mostly give and take because it includes a tedious process. The rice is floured by first soaking in water for several hours which is followed by drying for the perfect amount of time where it is not completely dry but a little moisture is left. Then, the rice is ground into a fine powder also known as rice flour. A non-traditional method uses store-bought rice flour for the process. Subsequently, the flour is sieved to discard any random bits and pieces of rice to create a soft flour. Then salt, carrom seeds, sesame seeds, chillies, chilly paste is added to the flour and mixed well. This is then followed by adding the perfect amount of water and creating a dough that is not too tight or sticky. Phew! It is certainly one hell of a job.
Alas, the Sakinalu at Desiauthentic have been made in the most traditional way only by cooks who know their Sakinalu in and out. Indulge in the most crispiest Sakinalu at Desiauthentic. Visit https://www.desiauthentic.com/
