There are certain dishes that I can go on and on about for hours together. And Murukus is one among them! I have been in love with these since time immemorial and yet never got around learning to make them. Yes, this was on top of my mind when I wanted to launch Indian Cooking Challenge.
So for the month of September, I challenged my fellow bloggers to experiment making murukkus and enjoy. This is yet another recipe from my Amma. Though I have helped her make this so many times, I have never done it myself. If truth be told, I called her again when I did this time too. She by touching the dough, said it was in the correct texture. Well, that’s experience I must say.
And needless to say, the box of Murukus got over within 24 hrs. I wasn't around when the boys came back home. They liked it so much that Chinnu asked his dad to pack this for their snacks. I was really thrilled knowing it. But, when I asked him if he liked the Muruku, he said with a sly look, "Muuruku Baale Amma" and seeing my fallen face he giggled. My naughty boy knows how to tease momma.
Ingredients
Cooking Oil for deep frying
For the Dough
- 4 cups Raw Rice
- 1 cup Urad Dal
- 1/2 cup Water or more
For Seasoning
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds White
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida Hing
- 75 gms Butter, unsalted
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool.
- If you are using more quantity, you can get it ground in the rice mill, else use your mixie to grind both Rice and Urad dal.
- First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. then grind the urad dal to a fine powder. Refer this post for making Rice flour at home.
- In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.
- Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If it's not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles.
- Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little softer than the puri dough.
- Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.
- Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper or slotted spoon and gently slide it down the hot oil. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai.
- Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, flip to the other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. You will a know by seeing the colour that its cooked. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.
This normally stays good for weeks, provided you forget about these which hardly happens!
Equipment
- Muruku /Chakli Press
- Kadai
Notes
- Things to remember for not making your murukku break into pieces. It's important to roast the Urad dal to just brown and not very brown.
- Rice used should have some starch to hold the shape, else it might crumble down.
- Adding too much butter can also result in the fried murukkus to break. You can start with half and slowly increase by feeling the dough. The dough with the right amount of butter will be soft but not very soft.
- If you don't have a murukku aachu, you can use a plastic cover/ zip lock cover with a thin hole to press out the dough or even icing bags with different heads can be thought of.
Lataji tried out two different methods, both seems to have turned out well 1 heaped cup of rice (to make it 250 grams of rice)
1/4 cup (level) urad dhal
1 tablespoon butter
yielded 420 grams murukku. For Vegan option, use this instruction.
For 1 cup (240 ml), rice flour urad dhal flour mix if you add 1 tablespoon vegetable margarine/dalda it replaces butter in a vegan version. We can add hot oil too, a little more than 1 tablespoon will be required.
Recipe
Jantikalu or Murukku Recipe
Equipment
- Muruku / Chakli Press
- Kadai
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 cups Raw Rice
- 1 cup Urad Dal
- 1/2 cup Water or more as needed
For Seasoning
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds white
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida / Hing
- 75 gms Butter unsalted
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool.
- If you are using more quantity, you can get it ground in a rice mill, else use your mixer to grind both Rice and Urad dal.
- First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. Then, grind the urad dal to fine powder. Refer this post for making Rice flour at home.
- In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.
- Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If its not dissolved properly, when deep frying the murukku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles.
- Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now, slowly add water and knead a dough which is little more softer than the puri dough.
- Heat a kadai with cooking oil enough to deep fry. Once the cooking oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.
- Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then, divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper or slotted spoon and gently slide it down the hot oil. But, since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai.
- Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. You will know by seeing the colour that its cooked. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in an airtight container.
- This normally stays good for weeks, provided you forget about these which hardly happens!
Notes
- Things to remember for not making your murukku break into pieces. It's important to roast the Urad dal to just brown and not very brown.
- Rice used should have some starch to hold the shape, else it might crumble down.
- Adding too much butter can also result in the fried murukkus to break. You can start with half and slowly increase by feeling the dough. The dough with the right amount of butter will be soft but not very soft.
- If you don't have a murukku aachu, you can use a plastic cover/ zip lock cover with a thin hole to press out the dough or even icing bags with different heads can be thought of.
1/4 cup (level) urad dhal.
1 tablespoon butter
yielded 420 grams murukku. For Vegan option, use this instruction. For 1 cup (240 ml), rice flour urad dhal flour mix if you add 1 tablespoon vegetable margarine/dalda it replaces butter in a vegan version. We can add hot oil too, a little more than 1 tablespoon will be required.
renuka says
Lovely pic Sri,waiting for the next challenge
Pavani says
Muruku turned out awesome Valli.. Thanks for the detailed instructions. Have added my link.. Looking forward to October challenge.
Uma says
mmm. jantikalu! toooo tempting. All time fav.
Varunavi says
Thanx valli for the excellent recipe and thank ur mom on my behalf for the wonderful recipe.
Included my link 🙂
జ్యోతి says
Thanku Srivalli,
me too joined the band.. it was wonderful experience to do this in this festive season..
Happy Diwali to all..
Jayashree says
Have linked, valli....
jayasree says
Tempting murukku.. And you have tried with two types of press.
Happy cook says
Wish i could grab few.
Yasmeen says
My hubby loves these 🙂
Rohini says
Yay.. I have already rolled my sleeves for the October Challenge! Thanks Srivalli!! 🙂
Rohini says
Hey dear, pls collect your award from my blog! It's waiting! 🙂
Ambika says
Hi Srivalli, the murukku looks awesome. Thanks you for encouraging me. Please accept a 'Giant Bear Hug' from me at my blog.
RV says
Thanks for stopping by and living a warm comment Srivalli. ICC gives me an opportunity to try some new recipes from various cuisine. I think this makes me to cook even when I am tired. Thanks for hosting this challenge.
Srivalli says
Thank you everybody!
Lebouffe says
Was my first challenge.. Thanks! -Naina
jayasri says
Oh! sorry for not linking my name, to this, muruku looks awesome, I keep going to ur other blog and miss this one always..,
Pavithra says
Valli I have posted murukku in my blog which i did for diwali. I am linking to your blog. I am always interested in this challenge but unfortunately i cannot make in time but thats ok will try your recipes whenever time permits for me. U are doing great job keep going. Hope you dont mind linking your space in my blog.
sabina says
Hi Valli,
Thanku for tis recipe and the step by step pictures.am planning to try tis murukku and ur badhusha recipe for christmas to give my friends.So wud like uto help me out with these doubts..
1.Is Raw rice better than boiled rice..coz i've seen my mil use boiled rice and pottukadalai podi..
2.I want measurements like 4 cups rice : 1 cup urad dal...so can i wash,soak and dry rice and roast urad dal and mix tis when cool and grind in a mill...
Thanku once again for the recipe...coz tis is my first time trying murukku alone...coz i've assisted mil all these years just pressing part alone and she prepares the dough...
sabina says
Hi Valli
Saw my comment posted but no reply.Want some help regarding the rice and measurements,Can u help me out.
Srivalli says
Hello Sabina, Sorry for the late reply..
I asked my mom and she said yes we can use boiled rice also but the proportion will be different. I have not personally used anything other than this meansurement.
Mom says when you use boiled rice along, it tends to become very crispy and morumoru..:)
abd the second question, I am not clear if I understand your question. Are you asking me to give in ratio, cos I have already given that for 4 cups rice, you got to use 1 cup urad dal.
And yes you can dry, rice and roast dal and grind both together if that was your question.
I can understand how intimidating this process can be..so all the best. I am sure it will turn out very well.
you are welcome to ask any other doubt you have..
sabina says
Thanku for the reply am staying in chennai and sun is playing hide and seek,,,so thought will prepare tis flour atleast next week and am planning to try with raw rice flour AS MENTIONED IN UR RECIPE
2.Yes am clear for the 2 queries...wanted to know measurements before grinding.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK...coz there r lot of beginners like me aspiring to try these traditional goodies.
Srivalli says
Sabina, yes I agree on the sun playing hide and seek..we are totally not able to predict right...
for the Rice, you can shade dry and grind in your mixer too, if you are not able to use the mill.
But pls don't use ready made flour as you must have read in the notes and comments that the murukus will tend to break and not retain its shape.
Will get the correct proportion for the boiled rice from my mom if you want.
As mentioned in the recipe, I have used 4 cups Raw rice to 1 cup Urad dal. Both are measured before grinding. Naturally after grinding, you will get more quantity on hand.
Thank you, your feedback helps the motivational factor..:)
sabina says
Dear Valli,
Am sabina again...sorry to bug u again i've a doubt...am ready with the flour...got 8 cups rice: 2cups urad dal....powdered and ready in hand...so is the butter quantity 150 gms...altogether...can u pls clear my doubt...
Thanku so much..
Srivalli says
No Worries Sabina. The recipe I gave was with whole grain right. So the powder should be more. But you can use 150 gms. If required use little bit more like 10 or 15 gms more for a cripsy muruku and not very hard.
Hope it comes out very well! All the best
sabina says
Dear Valli,
Thanku for ur reply......Am gonna start now...bye!!!Will be back with my feedback
sabina says
Dear Valli,
Thanku so much for the wonderful recipe...murukku turned out well.it's very tasty i just added little bit of butter extra as u mentioned some 10gms or so...salt alone is bit less...but ok.i enjoyed making tis,....and tmw am planning to make badusha...i've one doubt reg that...wat is the difference when we add curd to the dough...does it make the texture softer...just wanted to know...and Am very very very...... satisfied with the murukku Thanku once again...and keep up the good work...
Srivalli says
SabinaWe didn't add curds to the dough but it is supposed to make it softer.
I am glad to know that Murukkus came out well.