Chakkuli Muruku / ಚಕ್ಕುಲಿ ಮುರುಕು

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ.

Once we hear the word 'Chakkuli', first thing that comes to our mind is Ganesh Chaturthi. My mom and aunts used to prepare Chakkuli in lots and we were enjoying eating them up-to months! There is a tradition in my native that all the ladies will visit their mom's place with their hubby after the festival and give mom 'Baagina'. It consists of some holy items for ladies like- bangles, kunkum and turmeric, blouse piece or saree, etc. There is a belief that it is good for the daughter to prepare the Baagina on Ganesh Chaturthi and give to her mom and get her blessings. So, every daughter will visit her mom's house after the festival. Chakkuli, Vade, etc. dishes prepared for the festival and will be served to all these guests.

Coming to the recipe, Chakkuli muruku will be more crispier than the Chakkuli, which will be prepared as snacks for day to day use. It is very popular in Tamil Nadu state of India. Because of its taste, you can't stop yourself once you start eating them!

Preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup

All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup

Gram flour - 1 cup

Split peas powdered finely - 1 cup powder

Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tbsp (according to taste)

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp (can use carom seeds also)

Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt

Pinch of cooking soda

Unsalted butter - 1 lemon size

Water - to prepare the dough

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix all the flours, red chilli powder, salt, sesame seeds and cooking soda in a mixing bowl.

Heat the butter and pour it on the flour mixture.

Mix it well and add water little by little. Knead it well and prepare a smooth dough.

Grease the Chakli mould and fill it with the dough prepared.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is nicely hot, start pressing the dough into the hot oil with Chakli mould.

Cook the muruku on medium heat till the become nicely crispy. If the flame is too high, it won't get cooked well.

Keep the deep fried muruku on a tissue paper to absorb excess oil. Once it is cool, transfer the chakkuli muruku to an airtight container. It goes well with a cup of hot tea.

Tips:

• Don't add too much of butter for preparing the dough. Else, muruku will become too crispy and you may not be able to get the perfect muruku shape.

This recipe was published in Thatskannada Newspaper, from my Kannada blog on 31th May 2011. Thanks to Thatskannada!