Rajgira Chikki Recipe - Crunchy & Sweet Snack

Rajgira chikki is a thin, light, crunchy, golden, and sweet snack made with rajgira flour and sugar. It melts slightly on the tongue, and you can easily make it in just 20 minutes. 

The sugar variant looks lighter in colour than the jaggery one. This rajgira chikki recipe yields a delicately sweet, fragrant chikki with cardamom.

This flour-based version is quicker and easier to shape than popped-seed chikki. You have to dry roast the flour, cook the sugar to the right stage, mix everything, pour, and cut. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• This recipe gives you a crispy, thin, and proper chikki texture.

• This looks lighter and has a more delicate sweetness than a jaggery variant.

• No popping of seeds needed, just roasted flour and melted sugar.

• This chikki is naturally gluten-free and fast-friendly.

• You can store this snack for 2-3 weeks.

Ingredients List

This recipe makes about 16-20 medium pieces of chikki.

• 1 cup rajgira(amaranth) flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp pure ghee

• 1/2 tsp crushed green cardamom pods

• A tiny pinch of dry ginger powder 

Before You Start, Get Everything Ready

You have to work very fast while making sugar chikki. Have everything ready before you turn on the gas.

• Dry roast the flour, transfer it to a bowl, and let it cool.

• Grease a flat tray or baking tray with pure ghee.

• Grease a rolling pin with pure ghee.

• Keep a good big knife or pizza cutter handy.

• Crush the cardamom pods slightly and keep the dry ginger powder ready.

How to Make Rajgira Chikki

Step 1: Dry roast the good-quality rajgira flour

Take a completely dry pan and heat it over a low-medium flame. Add the rajgira flour and dry roast it for 3-4 minutes, until it turns slightly darker and smells nutty.

Transfer the roasted flour to a large bowl or plate. Add the slightly crushed cardamom pods and dry ginger powder. Cool completely.

Pro Tip: Make sure your roasted flour is completely cool before mixing it with the sugar syrup. 

Step 2: Cook the sugar until it reaches the hard-crack stage

Heat some ghee in a thick-bottomed pan over a moderate flame. Add the sugar and stir until it fully melts. Stop stirring once the sugar has melted, and let it cook over medium heat without disturbing it until it reaches the hard-crack stage.

To test: Take a bowl of cold water and drop a small amount of it into the bowl. If it forms a hard, brittle thread, it's ready. If it bends without snapping, cook it for another 30-60 seconds and test again.

Note: Sugar chikki needs the hard crack stage, not the soft or hard ball stage. Hard crack gives you the clean, brittle texture.

Step 3: Combine the roasted rajgira flour quickly

Turn the gas off. Immediately add the cooled, roasted rajgira flour to the hot sugar and quickly mix with a flat spatula until it’s properly combined. You should mix everything in about 60-90 seconds before the mixture starts to set.

Step 4: Transfer to a surface and roll flat

Transfer the mixture quickly onto the greased surface. Set a greased parchment or butter paper on top of this mixture and roll it flat with the greased rolling pin. You have to roll it about 4-5 mm thick.

Step 5: Cut the slab while it’s warm

While the slab is still a little warm and soft, cut it into squares or diamonds with a sharp, large knife, pressing it hard in one clean stroke instead of sawing. Once the slab is fully cooled, the chikki will be too brittle to cut properly.

Step 6: Let the pieces cool completely before transferring

Let the rajgira chikki pieces cool completely. Once cooled and hardened, transfer them to an airtight container layered with parchment or butter paper.

Rajgira Chikki Method Variations 

With Popped Rajgira Seeds

If you want an extra-light and crunchier variant, you can replace the flour with 1 cup of popped rajgira seeds. Combine them with cardamom and dry ginger, then follow the same recipe given above. 

Dry Fruit Rajgira Chikki

Follow the recipe given above. Before mixing the rajgira flour into the sugar syrup, stir in 2-3 tbsp of sliced almonds, cashews, or pistachios. This addition makes the chikki more festive and rich, and it is a great, healthy option for Diwali gift boxes.

Jaggery Rajgira Chikki

For deeper, more complex sweetness and natural minerals, you can use 0.75 cup of finely chopped jaggery instead of sugar. Let the jaggery cook until it reaches the hard-ball stage. Test its texture in cold water.

Expert Tips

• Make sure you have prepared everything before you start cooking. Sugar sets and hardens quicker than jaggery. 
• Let the flour cool completely before mixing. If you mix warm flour with hot sugar, it creates steam, and you’ll end up with grainy chikkies.
• Cut the chikkies while they’re still warm. Sugar chikki shatters instead of cutting cleanly after cooling. 
• Don't stir the flour after the sugar melts. If you stir melted sugar, it can cause crystallization, making the chikki grainy.

Tips for Storing this Rajgira Chikki

You should store these chikkies in an airtight jar lined with parchment paper. This way, it stays fresh for up to 2-3 weeks at room temperature. 

Keep the jar away from moisture, because it will make the chikki soft and sticky very quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main ingredients needed for Rajgira chikki? 

You can make this dish with simple, everyday ingredients. All you need is good-quality rajgira flour, some sugar or jaggery, ghee, dry ginger powder, and some crushed cardamom pods.

Is rajgira chikki good for people with diabetes?

Rajgira flour has a low glycaemic index, and it’s rich in protein and fiber, but this recipe contains sugar or jaggery, which raises blood sugar. People with diabetes should eat it very occasionally in small portions. Always consult a doctor before adding this to your meal.

Why is my rajgira chikki chewy instead of crunchy? 

This happens when the sugar isn't cooked properly. Chewy chikki means the sugar syrup was at the soft or hard-ball stage; both textures make your chikki sticky and bendy. 

Where can I buy good-quality rajgira flour?

If you’re looking for pure, vrat-friendly rajgira flour made only from ground amaranth seed, you have to check the ingredient list and read the other details on the pack. Brands like Hathi Masala and Two Brothers India Farms are a perfect choice for good-quality rajgira flour.

Can Rajgira Chikki be made gluten-free, and what are the benefits?

Yes. This rajgira chikki is naturally gluten-free because amaranth doesn’t contain any gluten. This chikki is a nutritious snack option for people who are avoiding gluten. This flour is also rich in protein, calcium, and iron, and this dish is more nourishing than other regular chikkis.

Can I use jaggery instead of sugar? 

Yes. You can use jaggery instead of sugar for a slightly healthier option. The methods are similar, but the sugar stage is different because jaggery and sugar behave very differently in cooking.

Can I add dry fruits or seeds to this chikki? 

Yes. You can combine 2-3 tbsp of roasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or sliced almonds into the flour before adding to the sugar syrup. This is best if you want crunchy and more nutritious chikki.

Related Recipes You Can Try

Rajgira Ladoo Recipe · Rajgira Kheer Recipe · Rajgira Upma Recipe