Kalkal Recipe

Kalkal or kul kul is a traditional, deep-fried, Goan pastry shaped into small curls. It is popularly made during Christmas in India!

Here is a step-by-step recipe along with a quick video that shows you how to make kulkuls from scratch! These little curls are crispy, flaky, and moreish! Do try them this season!

Can you believe we are just a few days away from Christmas? Our home sure smells like the Holidays with the various goodies being prepared. So far, I’ve made coconut ice, walnut fudge, baath cake, milk toffee, and guava cheese.

When I think of kalkal, I remember the good old days when I would help my grandaunt prepare them. Since she lived alone, she’d request me to help her in preparing Christmas sweets. Kulkuls was one of the many sweets she’d make without fail every Christmas. My task was to shape the kulkuls, and I remember having a lot of fun doing it.

Christmas is all about the beautiful memories that I have experienced as a child with my family and friends. I remember the excitement in putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it, brainstorming ideas for the crib, and all the late-night sweet preparations with my Mom and younger sister.

I’m trying to keep those traditions alive, so my kids can have beautiful memories, and hopefully carry it forward and teach their own. Here is a pic of my daughter, Katelyn helping me out 🙂 My job just got easier or maybe not 😀 Kidding! She did a fantastic job rolling out the dough balls!

• About this kul kul recipe
• Different ways to make and serve these crispy and flaky curls
• Ingredients and equipment needed to make kulkuls
• How to make kalkal without eggs – Step by step process
• Storage
• A few tips to keep in mind while making kul kuls…
• You may also enjoy these traditional Goan Christmas sweets
• Kalkal Recipe | Goan Kulkuls {Eggless}

About this kul kul recipe

Traditionally, kalkal is made with eggs, but this recipe is an eggless version, and trust me you don’t miss the eggs at all. This is my Mum-in-law’s recipe which has been shared earlier on the blog to make shankarpali and kormolas. It is essentially the same dough but can be shaped differently. Her recipe does not include eggs, which is perfect for sharing with those who don’t eat eggs.

If you ask me, making shankarpali is the easiest amongst the three. Kormolas and kalkal can really test your patience if you sit to do it alone. But if you have 3-4 folks helping you out, a lot of the workload is reduced.

Kalkals are crispy, flaky, and melt-in-the-mouth. They are also known as ‘kidyo’ in Konkannim, perhaps because they resemble worms. That definitely doesn’t sound appetizing, but, trust me, it is very addictive once you start munching on them. After all, what’s not to love about carbs, fat, and sugar!

Different ways to make and serve these crispy and flaky curls

There are different versions to make kulkul where,

• The dough is sweetened by adding icing sugar
• The kulkuls are dipped in a sugar syrup after frying, which on drying form a white glaze
• Some like to skip the glaze and dust the kulkuls with icing sugar.

Which way do you prefer them?

They taste great either way! I’m sharing the first version, where we add icing sugar to the dough. Even with the sugar in the dough, these have a very tiny hint of sweetness, it is subtle. After all, everything on the ‘ kuswar ‘ served is sweet and so these kalkals help cut through that and balance out everything.

Ingredients and equipment needed to make kulkuls

To make this crispy, flaky cookie, you will need the following ingredients;

• All-purpose flour (maida)
• Semolina: Use the fine variety also known as Bombay rava. Some recipes exclude this ingredient, but adding it definitely adds more crunch. You may skip it if you want to.
• Table salt
• Ghee : I’ve used homemade ghee, you can also use melted unsalted butter.
• Icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar: Icing sugar also has a tiny bit of cornstarch, and that helps in making the kulkuls lighter.
• Coconut milk or dairy milk/water: Traditionally, a fresh extract of coconut milk is used. That’s what I’ve used in the recipe. You can also use regular dairy or just water too. Either works well.
• Kulkul roller: Plastic rollers are easily available in shops that sell baking accessories. So that’s what I’ve used. If you don’t have one or can’t find one you can use a fork or a brand new unused comb to shape the dough curls.

How to make kalkal without eggs – Step by step process

Step 1: Prepare the dough

In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups (285 grams) of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (100 grams) semolina, 1/2 teaspoon table salt. Mix well. (Photos 1 to 4)

Add the warm ghee and mix. Rub the ghee into the flour to resemble breadcrumbs. If you hold a portion of the flour-ghee mixture with your fist, it should hold its shape. If not, add another 1-2 tablespoons of warm ghee. (Photos 5 and 6)

Now add 2/3 cup icing sugar (80 grams), mix well. (Photos 7 and 8)

Add coconut milk, a little at a time, to knead a soft dough. Do not knead a tight dough as the semolina will absorb water and make it firmer. I used a little less than 150 ml.

Cover with a clean damp kitchen napkin and leave it aside for 30 minutes. (Photos 9 to 12)

Step 2: Shape the kalkal

After the resting time, pinch a marble-sized portion of the dough, roll it between your palms to make a ball. Repeat until you are done with the rest of the dough. (Photos 13 to 14)

Take a ball and flatten it by spreading it gently with your fingers over the kalkal roller. Start rolling from one end to the other to form a curl. Seal the edges very lightly. Place it on a tray lined with parchment paper. (Photos 15 to 20)

Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. (Photo 21)

You can also use the back of a fork or a brand new comb to shape the dough. (Photos 22 to 25)

Step 3: Frying the kulkuls

Heat oil on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed kadhai. Drop one piece in the oil, if it comes up instantly, the oil is ready. (Photos 26 and 27)

Deep-fry kulkuls on medium-low heat until golden brown on both sides, turning them constantly. Do not let them brown too much, as they will continue cooking in the residual heat and become darker.

Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tray lined with an absorbent napkin. Fry all the pieces, in batches, depending on the size of your kadai. (Photos 28 to 32).

I did try baking a small batch, and while they turned crispy and had a nice golden brown color, they weren’t flaky, I baked them at 180 C for 18 minutes. (Photos 33 and 34)

I do not suggest baking them using this recipe, it does need some modifications. If you still want to try baking them, do add a pinch of baking powder to make them lighter and help them puff up.

Storage

Once the kulkuls have cooled down completely, store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

A few tips to keep in mind while making kul kuls…

• Involve your friends and family to help you out: Making kulkuls all by yourself is a time-consuming task. You can still pull it off if you make the recipe using these quantities. But if you scale it up, you definitely need help unless you are a pro and quick in working around.
• Soft dough: Knead a soft and elastic dough. The rava absorbs liquid and swells up, the dough will have the perfect consistency before shaping the kalkal. If the dough turns dry and hard after the resting period, add some more coconut milk and knead to a soft dough, or else the dough will keep tearing when you try to roll it into curls.
• Oil temperature: Make sure you deep-fry the kulkuls on medium to medium-low heat. If you fry on high heat, they will brown quickly on the outside and remain soft and raw inside. If you use a candy thermometer, it should register 350° F/180° C.
• Avoid overcrowding the wok: Deep-fry kulkuls in batches, depending on the size of your wok. If you add too many, it will bring down the temperature of the oil. You can always test the temperature of the oil by dropping a small piece of dough before frying the next batch. Adjust the heat accordingly.

You may also enjoy these traditional Goan Christmas sweets

• Marzipan (no-cook/egg-free)
• Bebinca
• Guava cheese
• Milk Cream
• Coconut Toffee
• Baath cake
• Doce de grao (chana dal fudge)
• Karanji/Neureos
• Kormolas
• Shankapali
• No-cook coconut ice
• Rich fruit cake
• Walnut fudge

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I’m winding up with my posts on Christmas sweets this year. As usual, I wanted to share more recipes like date rolls, rose cookies, almond toffee, jujubes, and dodol. I hope to share the rest of it next year. I’m still getting used to my blogging routine after a break of 5 months.

If you have any special requests for recipes, please feel free to reach to me via the contact form and I’ll try my best to share them here.

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a wonderful time with your family <3

Kalkal Recipe | Goan Kulkuls {Eggless}

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 285 grams
• 1/2 cup rava 100 grams
• 2/3 cup icing sugar 80 grams
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 cup warm ghee 50 grams
• 150 ml freshly extracted coconut milk or dairy/water, You may need more or less. I used a little under 150 ml
• 1.5 cups vegetable oil, I used sunflower oil 320 grams

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, semolina, table salt. Mix well.
• Add the warm ghee and mix. Rub the ghee into the flour to resemble breadcrumbs. If you hold a portion of the flour-ghee mixture with your fist, it should hold its shape. If not, add another 1-2 tablespoons of warm ghee.
• Now add icing sugar, mix well.
• Add coconut milk, a little at a time, to knead a soft and elastic dough. Cover with a clean damp kitchen napkin and leave it aside for 30 minutes.
• After the resting time, pinch a marble-sized portion of the dough, roll it between your palms to make a ball. Repeat until you are done with the rest of the dough.
• Take a ball and flatten it by spreading it gently with your fingers over the kalkal roller. Start rolling from one end to the other to form a curl. Seal the edges very lightly. Place it on a tray lined with parchment paper.
• Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
• You can also use the back of a fork or a brand new comb to shape the dough.
• Heat oil on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed kadhai. Drop one piece in the oil, if it comes up instantly, the oil is ready.
• Deep-fry kulkuls on medium-low heat until golden brown on both sides, turning them constantly. Do not let them brown too much, as they will continue cooking in the residual heat and become darker.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tray lined with an absorbent napkin. Fry all the pieces, in batches, depending on the size of your kadai.

Video

Notes

Kalkal Recipe | Goan Kulkuls {Eggless}

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 285 grams
• 1/2 cup rava 100 grams
• 2/3 cup icing sugar 80 grams
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 cup warm ghee 50 grams
• 150 ml freshly extracted coconut milk or dairy/water, You may need more or less. I used a little under 150 ml
• 1.5 cups vegetable oil, I used sunflower oil 320 grams

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, semolina, table salt. Mix well.
• Add the warm ghee and mix. Rub the ghee into the flour to resemble breadcrumbs. If you hold a portion of the flour-ghee mixture with your fist, it should hold its shape. If not, add another 1-2 tablespoons of warm ghee.
• Now add icing sugar, mix well.
• Add coconut milk, a little at a time, to knead a soft and elastic dough. Cover with a clean damp kitchen napkin and leave it aside for 30 minutes.
• After the resting time, pinch a marble-sized portion of the dough, roll it between your palms to make a ball. Repeat until you are done with the rest of the dough.
• Take a ball and flatten it by spreading it gently with your fingers over the kalkal roller. Start rolling from one end to the other to form a curl. Seal the edges very lightly. Place it on a tray lined with parchment paper.
• Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
• You can also use the back of a fork or a brand new comb to shape the dough.
• Heat oil on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed kadhai. Drop one piece in the oil, if it comes up instantly, the oil is ready.
• Deep-fry kulkuls on medium-low heat until golden brown on both sides, turning them constantly. Do not let them brown too much, as they will continue cooking in the residual heat and become darker.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tray lined with an absorbent napkin. Fry all the pieces, in batches, depending on the size of your kadai.

Video

Notes

These almond flour pancakes are fluffy, nutty, and delicious made with simple pantry ingredients. Enjoy these low-carb pancakes topped with some butter, syrup, and fresh fruits for a protein-packed breakfast that’s indulgent yet healthy and yummy!

Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year 2021! I hope you guys had a fabulous time with your friends and family 🙂

I, for one, had a great time with my family during this holiday season. We indulged in a lot of sweet treats and decadent meals. So now it’s time to get back on track towards a healthier lifestyle in the month of January.

As I’ve mentioned before, we don’t follow any sort of diet and eat everything in moderation. But this year, my husband and I aim to reduce carbs and sugar even though we are not following a keto diet. If I make something we enjoy in that category, it will definitely be up on this blog 🙂

These healthy homemade almond flour pancakes are a favorite in my house, even my kids enjoy these. Quite a win-win situation in my book! So, I definitely had to share them with y’all as well.

If you are looking for a low-carb, gluten-free pancake recipe, you have got to try these pancakes made with almond flour. I’m sure you will enjoy this guilt-free and satisfying pancake recipe.

They are really easy to prepare and are an awesome alternative to traditional pancakes. Since these pancakes are gluten-free, they aren’t are light as the traditional pancakes but trust me, they are really delicious in their own way.

These are a little tricky to work with as it is a nut flour after all. But don’t worry, I’ve included tips and a short video that shows you how to make these low carb almond pancakes effortlessly.

• Ingredients and substitutions
• How to make almond flour pancakes? – Step by step process
• Serving suggestions
• Storage, freezing, and re-heating these low carb pancakes
• Top tips to make the best almond flour pancakes
• Why you will love these pancakes?
• Variations
• You may also enjoy these healthy breakfast recipes
• Almond Flour Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients and substitutions

• Blanched almond flour: I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill almond flour. I’ve also tried these with Costco’s brand and it worked great. Any brand of fine almond flour will work here. If your’s is a little coarse, simply pulse it in the blender to a finer consistency. Do not blend too much, or else you will end up with almond butter.
• Eggs: The eggs lend moisture and act as a binder in this recipe. Along with that, they also help make the pancakes fluffy. Unfortunately, I’ve not tested an eggless version of this recipe at this point, so I’m not sure what would work here. If you have successfully made an eggless version, please do share in the comments below so that others can benefit as well.
• Coconut oil: You can swap this with any other cooking oil like sunflower, avocado, grapeseed oil, or melted unsalted butter.
• Sweetener: I prefer not to add a lot of sweetener in the batter, as I top the pancakes with syrup or honey. I’ve used maple syrup as the sweetener in this recipe. For a keto-friendly version use sugar-free maple syrup, monk fruit syrup, erythritol, or stevia.
• Liquid: The recipe needs some liquid for the pancake batter. The batter should be thick and pourable. I’ve used whole cow’s milk. You can use water or plant-based milk like unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk, etc.
• Baking powder: To make the pancakes fluffy!
• Salt: To round up all the flavors!
• Flavoring: I’ve used vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, a pinch of allspice to boost the flavor profile of these pancakes. The pancakes don’t taste as eggy with the addition of some vanilla and warm spices. Be sure to use a good quality vanilla extract as it makes a lot of difference in the final flavor of these pancakes!

How to make almond flour pancakes? – Step by step process

Step 1: Mix wet ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, and1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk well. (Photos 1 to 6).

Note: Start with 1/4 cup milk, adjust the consistency with more milk if needed later.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients and mix

Add 1 cup of fine blanched almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Mix until the batter is smooth. (Photos 7 to 12)

Step 3: Cook the pancakes

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Grease the skillet with any neutral-flavored oil or melted unsalted butter. Turn down the heat to low and pour a little less than 1/4 cup of the batter. Spread it with the back of the measuring cup to make a round shape (about 3.5 inches in diameter).

Cook until bubbles begin to form on top and the bottom looks set (about 2 minutes). Flip the pancakes using a spatula, cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on the other side. Transfer to a serving plate.

Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter to make more pancakes. If you have a large griddle, you can cook 3-4 pancakes at a time. (Photos 13 to 18)

Serving suggestions

These fluffy little almond flour pancakes are great topped with a combination of either of these;

• Maple syrup/sugar-free maple syrup or honey. My kids prefer honey, so that’s what I’ve used to top the pancakes.
• Butter
• Fresh berries
• Banana slices
• Homemade berry compote
• Spread a thin layer of cream cheese/almond butter or peanut butter
• Breakfast sausage links

Storage, freezing, and re-heating these low carb pancakes

Store : This recipe does not make a lot of pancakes, so ideally you shouldn’t have any leftovers. If you do or if you make a double batch for meal prep, you can refrigerate the pancakes in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Once the pancakes have cooled down completely, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer into the freezer, until frozen solid. Stack the frozen pancakes between parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag removing out as much air as possible. Freeze up to 2-3 months. It is best to freeze into required portion sizes as you can just grab a bag and thaw what you need.

Reheat: Thaw pancakes overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the pancakes in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds or in a skillet on low heat, flipping sides until heated through. For a big batch, reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 to10 minutes or until warm.

Top tips to make the best almond flour pancakes

• Use fine almond flour: Almond flour is made by grinding blanched whole almonds. Whereas almond meal is made by grinding whole almonds with the skin. Almond meal has a coarse texture, so using that in this recipe will result in a coarse, mealy, and much denser pancake. Try to use blanched almond flour for best results.
• Fluff the flour before measuring: This will help break up the clumps in the almond flour. Spoon and measure the flour into your measuring cup instead of scooping it, as the latter method packs up the cup with more flour which in turn will result in dense pancakes. You may need a splash of milk to thin out the batter. If the flour still looks a lot clumpy, you can sift the flour and use it in the recipe.
• Quantity of the liquid: You may need to adjust the quantity of liquid depending on the size of the eggs used. If you use small eggs, you may need more than 1/3 cup of liquid. Add a tablespoon at a time, if it turns too runny, you can always compensate by adding more almond flour. You are aiming for a thick, yet pourable batter consistency.
• A good nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet: These pancakes are super delicate, and need a really good quality nonstick pan so that the batter does not stick to the pan, and can be flipped easily.
• Make small pancakes: Pancakes made with almond flour are much more delicate than regular pancakes that are made with refined flour. I find it’s best to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the batter onto the skillet. It is the perfect size for these pancakes. They cook evenly on low heat without browning too much and can be flipped with ease.
• Cook the pancakes on low heat: These pancakes take longer to cook as compared to the traditional pancakes. Cooking it on high heat will cause the exterior to brown fast and will stay raw in the center. Hence, cook on the lowest heat, especially if using a gas stove.

Why you will love these pancakes?

• One-bowl recipe! You can even dump all the ingredients in a blender to make the batter.
• They are delicious, tender, flavorful, hearty, and filling. Will keep you full until lunch!
• Gluten-free, grain-free, and can easily be adapted to make it keto-friendly.
• These pancakes are packed with protein and fiber, making them much healthier than the traditional pancakes made with refined flour.
• At 83 calories and a net carb of 3 grams per pancake, I’m sure you don’t need reasons to make and enjoy these healthy pancakes for breakfast or brunch :D.

Variations

Add-ins: You can throw in some blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc while cooking the pancakes.

Oats: You can swap some of the almond flour with oat flour in this recipe to make almond oat pancakes.

Buttermilk: Swap the milk with buttermilk to make these extra light and fluffy. Use 1/2 teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, rest everything stays the same.

Switch up the flavor: You can use different ingredients to flavor up these pancakes like pumpkin pie spice mix, nutmeg, cardamom, almond extract, etc

You may also enjoy these healthy breakfast recipes

Vegan maple coconut granola

Yogurt granola parfait with homemade berry compote

Mixed berry chia smoothie

Chia seed pudding

Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal

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Almond Flour Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 2 large eggs about 57 grams each with shell
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup whole milk Refer notes
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup blanched almond flour, 110 grams
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Unsalted butter/coconut oil or any other cooking oil, to cook the pancakes, as required

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, add milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
• Add blanched almond flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, and fine sea salt. Mix until the batter is smooth.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Grease the skillet with any neutral-flavored oil or melted unsalted butter. Turn down the heat to low and pour a little less than 1/4 cup of the batter. Spread it with the back of the measuring cup to make a round shape (about 3.5 inches in diameter).
• Cook until bubbles begin to form on top and the bottom looks set (about 2 minutes). Flip the pancakes using a spatula, cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on the other side. Transfer to a serving plate.
• Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter to make more pancakes. If you have a large griddle, you can cook 3-4 pancakes at a time.

Video

Notes

Nutrition