Chirote is a flaky, layered, pastry-like treat glazed with aromatic rose-cardamom-flavored syrup. Traditionally they are deep-fried which brings out the beautiful layers and makes them crispy and light. In this recipe, I am also sharing how to air fry them for a healthier twist and sharing an easier alternative to sugar syrup!
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What are Chirote
Chirote or Chiroti is a Maharashtrian delicacy made during Diwali. These fried dough pastries use only a handful of pantry ingredients like all-purpose flour, rice flour sugar, and ghee. The layered dough is lightly rolled and then fried. It is then dipped in flavored sugar syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are also popular in parts of southern India and are known as Padhir Peni where it is often served along with sweetened badam milk.
Making Chirote with Mom
When my parents visited us in the Summer of 2022, making Chirote - one of my favorite heirloom recipes - with mom was at the top of my list. Loved how she artfully places the pink layer between the two whites as she layered the dough. As the chirote were frying It was amazing to see the layers bloom like a flower in the hot oil. The prettiest Chirote - just the way I remember her making them back home in India.
Tips
- Sift the all-purpose flour and then measure. If you have a weighing scale use that for perfect measurements as mentioned on the recipe card
- Check out my detailed notes on how to make the one-string sugar syrup. Undercooking the syrup will make the Chirote soft while overcooking will make them hard
- Adding lemon juice to the cooked sugar syrup will prevent the syrup from crystallizing. Make sure the syrup is warm when you add the Chirote to it
- Allergic to nuts? Simply skip the garnish at the end
Ingredients
- Maida (All-purpose flour), Rava (Semolina), and salt to help balance the sweetness
- Fine Rice flour and ghee to make the paste that is spread between the rolled dough
- Sugar, lemon juice, and rose essence make aromatic syrup. Note: Instead of syrup you can sprinkle powdered sugar mixed with ground cardamom on hot-fried Chirote
Step-by-step Instructions
Note: Detailed with exact ingredients, instructions, and a printable recipe card is at the end of this post
Make the dough
- In a wide bowl, add the flour, salt, and melted ghee and mix well. Slowly add enough water to make a firm dough - similar to puri dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside for an hour.
- While the dough is resting, make the paste for layering. In a small bowl, mix ghee with rice flour and reserve.
Divide into balls and add coloring
- Knead the dough again for a minute and divide it into 6 equal portions.
- Roll each piece into a round ball.
- If using food coloring add 2 drops of red to 2 of the balls and knead them well so the color is distributed evenly on the dough.
Roll and layer
- Next, roll the 6 dough balls with a rolling pin into thin 8-inch circle roti
- Take one of the rolled roti and place it on a cutting board. Apply 1 teaspoon of the rice flour paste on the top, spreading it evenly with your fingers or a small silicone spatula. Place a second rolled-out roti over it (use a colored one if you have colored dough) and apply the rice flour paste again. Place the third roti on top and apply the paste all over. Roll them tight to form a log. Press through the middle to even out the thickness of the roll from the center to the edges.
- Repeat the above steps with the remaining 3 sheets of rolled dough.
Cut and roll
- Next cut each rolled log into half and slice each half into 4 circles. You will have a total of 16 pieces.
- Take one of the cut pieces and press down on the rolling surface so the layers are in the center. Gently roll it with a rolling pin to make a 3-inch circle, you will have the layers visible as you roll.
Fry and dip in syrup
- In a medium saucepan add sugar and water. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the syrup comes to a boil turn the heat to low. Add lemon juice and rose syrup. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes stirring a few times as the syrup cooks into one string consistency. To check this simply lift the spoon and watch the last few drops of syrup drop out of the spoon. The drop should form a single string. Turn the heat off.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Add 3 to 4 rolled chirote into the hot oil. Turn the heat to low and fry for 2 to 3 minutes turning them halfway through as both sides turn lightly golden and crispy. Take out the fried Chirote on the small plate.
- Place fried chirote in the prepared warm sugar syrup, coat both sides with the syrup, and then take it out on the plate lined with parchment paper.
- Repeat the above process for the remaining rolled discs.
How to serve Chirote
Chirotes make for a delicious snack with a cup of Chai. They are also perfect to add to lunchboxes or take them along on road trips. Add them to your Diwali snack or appetizer platter alongside Chivda, Chakli, and Shankarpali.
Storing
Allow the chirote to cool down completely and then store in an airtight container for upto a week.
More Diwali Sweets Recipes
- Shankarpali - crispy and lightly sweetened snack
- Rava laddu - semolina dessert balls with fresh coconut AKA Narali Pakatale Ladoo
- Karanji - sweet pastries with aromatic rose coconut filling
- Balushahi - cardamom and rose-flavored sweet flaky dough discs
- Saranachi Puri - sweet puri stuffed with coconut and jaggery filling laced with cardamom and nutmeg
Recipe
Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
Chirote
Flaky layered pastries doused in a rose-cardamom-flavored syrup.
Servings: 16 chirote
Calories: 282kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 8 oz
- 2 tablespoons sooji
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ghee melted
- ½ cup water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder Needed only if air frying
- red food coloring optional
- oil for frying
Paste for layering
- 3 tablespoons fine rice flour
- 3 tablespoons ghee room temperature
Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose essence optional
Chirote without syrup
- ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
Optional Garnish
- 2 tablespoons pistachios sliced
- 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the flour, sooji, salt, and ghee. (For air frying see notes). Mix well. Slowly add enough water to make a firm dough - similar to puri dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside for an hour.
- While the dough is resting, make the paste for layering. In a small bowl, mix rice flour with ghee and reserve.
Rolling Chirote
- Knead the dough for a minute and divide it into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a round ball. If using food coloring - add 2 drops of red color each to 2 of the balls and knead them well so the color is distributed evenly on the dough. Next, roll each of the 6 dough balls with a rolling pin into thin 8-inch circles
- Take one of the rolled circles and place it on a cutting board. Apply 1 teaspoon of the rice flour paste on the top, spreading it evenly with your fingers or a small silicone spatula. Place a second rolled-out circle over it (use a colored one if you have colored dough) and apply the rice flour paste again. Place the third sheet on top and apply the paste all over.
- Starting from the top, make a tight roll of the layered dough circle and form a log. Press from the center to the edges to make it evenly thick and tight.
- Repeat the above steps with the remaining 3 sheets of rolled dough.
- Next cut each rolled log into half and slice each half into 4 circles. You will have a total of 16 pieces from the two logs.
- Take one of the cut pieces and press down on the rolling surface so the layers are in the center. Gently roll it with a rolling pin to make a 3 inch circle, you will have the layers visible as you roll.
Make Sugar Syrup or Powdered Sugar Mixture
Sugar Syrup
- In a medium saucepan add sugar and water. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the syrup comes to a boil turn the heat to low. Add lemon juice and rose syrup. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes stirring a few times as the syrup cooks into one string consistency.
- To check this simply lift the spoon and watch the last few drops of syrup drop out of the spoon. The drop should form a single string. Turn the heat off.
Powdered Sugar Mix
- Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder to a bowl and mix well. Keep aside.
Deep Frying (See notes for air frying)
- Line a small plate with a paper towel and line a large plate with parchment paper.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Add 2 to 3 rolled discs into the hot oil. Turn the heat to low and fry for 2 to 3 minutes turning them halfway through. Make sure both sides are cooked lightly golden and crispy.
- Take out the fried Chirote on the small plate. The paper towel will soak any excess oil from frying.
- Using a pair of tongs gently place the chirote in the sugar syrup. Coat both sides with the syrup and then take them out on the plate lined with parchment paper. Garnish with pistachios and rose petals.
- If using powdered sugar, place a tablespoon of powdered sugar on a sieve and sift it over hot chirote so that the sugar sticks to it.
- Repeat the rolling, frying and sweetening process for the remaining rolled discs.
- Allow the chirote to cool down completely and then store in an airtight container for upto a week.
Video
Notes
- Sift the all-purpose flour and then measure. If you have a weighing scale use that for perfect measurements
- Check out my detailed notes on how to make the one-string sugar syrup. Undercooking the syrup will make the Chirote soft while overcooking will make them hard
- Adding lemon juice to the cooked sugar syrup will prevent the syrup from crystallizing. Make sure the syrup is warm when you add the Chirote to it
- Allergic to nuts? Simply skip the garnish at the end
- Add baking powder when kneading the dough
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for 5 minutes. Line four to six rolled chirote and lightly spray with oil.
- Air fry at 330 F for 10 minutes. Increase the temperature to 370 F and air fry for additional 2 minutes to get the perfect golden color.
- Then dip them in sugar syrup, garnish with pistachios and rose petals or sprinkle powdered sugar on top
Nutrition
Serving: 1chirote | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
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Shivani says
Archana, this is a great recipe. I made it and the chirotes came out perfect ❤️ these are my husbands favorite sweet and thanks to you I could finally make these for him ❤️ thank you so very much
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback, Shivani!