Care for murukku munchies?

Kandla Nijhowne

‘Murukku’ or ‘Chakli’ is a fascinating snack, what’s more, it looks equally fascinating. It’s almost like a coiled rope, neatly shaped into a little wheel! They are a crunchy mouthful, perfect to team up with a cup of coffee or tea. Bangalore is where the murukku flourishes at every little shop in every possible street. Rice flour is the secret ingredient that gives the murukku its unique ‘bite’. Making a batch at home is a delightful exercise where kids can be involved in extruding the coils of dough in the distinct shape. Home-made means that they are fresh and you are ensured of a good frying medium.

Spiced Murukku

• 1½  tbsp urad daal, powdered
• 1½  cup rice flour
• ¾  tsp whole ‘jeera’
• ½  tbsp softened butter
• ¾  tsp sesame seeds (til)
• a  pinch of ‘heeng’
• ¼  tsp garam masala
• oil for frying
• salt to taste

Method

• Using a bowl, mix the powdered rice, daal, sesame seeds, jeera, salt, garam masala and heeng.
• Drop the softened butter around the ingredients, then rub it in with your fingertips till it blends in.
• Gradually add water to make a stiff dough. (you may need ¾-1 cup)
• Fit a star shaped disc in a murukku press, then spoon the dough into it, pressing down to ensure there are no air pockets.
• Heat the oil and extrude the dough from the press directly into the oil. You will need a little practice to shape the coils as the dough drops into the bubbling oil.
• Fry on a medium hot flame till crispy and darker in colour, remove from oil on absorbent paper.
• Cool and store in a wide necked jar. Put the kettle on and devour some pronto with a cuppa !

Note: For less confident beginners, lay out grease proof paper on the worktop, shape the spirals directly on to it, let them dry for 5-10 minutes, then slide off into the waiting hot oil. To make spinach murukkus. Puree half a bunch of chopped spinach with water. Substitute water with this puree to knead the dough. 

(Nijhowne is a Chandigarh-based culinary expert)