Ooty Varkey: Here's how to prepare the crispy snack to enjoy with a hot black tea

Ooty Varkey is a unique snack that shouldn’t be missed whenever you are visiting the Nilgiris. The soft, flaky snack is often enjoyed with a glass of hot black tea and it is sold in all the bakeries and kiosks of Ooty. There are many small shops at the Old Post Office Road of the region which make the snack, and it tastes the best when it is freshly baked and hot. Here is how you could make Ooty Varkey at home.

Ingredients
½ kg all-purpose flour
Salt as required
Half a block of butter
½ cup oil
½ cup custard powder
½ cup sugar
½ cup vanaspati oil

Preparation
Add butter, salt, water and ¼ cup oil to the all-purpose flour
Mix well into a soft dough that's softer than chapathi dough
Rub the remaining oil on the dough
Close the lid and keep it in the fridge for an entire day
Mix 1/4 cup of vanaspati oil, sugar and custard powder
Add this mixture to the dough as another layer
Now roll the full dough into a large sheet
Rub a few drops of vanaspati oil on it
Sprinkle some custard powder, all-purpose flour, and sugar
Fold the dough sheet
Rub the rest of the vanaspati oil and sprinkle custard powder, all-purpose flour, and sugar as you fold each layer
Now cut it into small square-shaped pieces
Fold the pieces into desired shapes
Bake them in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes
Soft and flaky Ooty Varkey with a crispy outer layer is ready