Chakkuli or Murukku is one of my favorite snacks. My mom always prepares this snack whenever we visit her place. Me and my children love this chakkuli like anything. Sweets and Snacks are integral part of any festival. Some sweets are fixed for a particular festival too. As part of Diwali celebrations I prepared chakkuli or murukku at my home along with regular sweet “yelappa” this time. There are many variations in doing these chakkulies.This is the easiest of all. Posting the easy chakli recipe for you. “WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE DIWALI 2012“.
The only word that comes to my mind when I say murukku is YUM. This rocking delicious, crispy murukku has always been a favourite snack of mine. My way of eating this snack is essentially as a side with rice-rasam but it never even fails to satisfy my cravings as a tea time snack.
This method of making murukku is from my mother’s recipe box which is foolproof if followed as instructed. No lengthy procedures of making rice powder as in traditional murukku, you can very well use store bought rice powder and achieve the best end product. Coconut and cumin seeds do enhance the flavor of murukku, so do not skip them though they are optional in the ingredient list.
Video:
Chakli Recipe/Murukku Recipe
Servings: 50 to 60
Ingredients
- Split black gram lentils urad dal - 1/2 cup
- Rice powder- 3 cups
- Salt- 2 to 2.5 tsp
- Black sesame seeds- 3 tsp
- Fresh grated coconut- 4 tsp optional
- Cumin seeds- 1 tsp optional
- Cooking oil- enough for deep frying
Instructions
Method
- Heat a wide wok/pan and add split black gram lentils. Roast the lentils till they turn little brown and aromatic. Ensure they are not burnt. Transfer the roasted lentils in to a small bowl and also add 2 cups of water to it.
- Pressure cook the roasted lentils till they are completely soft. I pressure cooked for 3 whistles and 5 minutes in simmer. Once the pressure subsides open the lid and keep the cooked lentils outside. Let them cool down.
- Now you need to grind the cooked lentils finely using a mixer. At this step you can add grated coconut and cumin seeds for grinding along with lentils. Grated coconut and cumin are optional but I recommend them as it enhances the flavor of murukku.
- Meanwhile dry roast the black sesame seeds in a seasoning pan till they splutter. Take a wide bowl mix in roasted black sesame seeds, ground lentil batter, rice powder and salt. Combine everything well with your fingers in to pliable, stiff, crack-less dough. The consistency of dough is very important. If you feel it is thin then go ahead and add some rice flour. On the other hand if you feel the dough has cracks and it is thick then sprinkle some water and knead.
- Take a murukku press fixing murukku mold at the bottom and fill it with lump of murukku dough. Hand press the dough on the oil greased plastic sheet in circular manner and shape it in murukku form. Continue pressing murukku in this manner batch-wise.
- Heat a wok in medium flame adding enough cooking oil in it to deep fry the murukku. As the oil gets heated, carefully slide each pressed murukku from the plastic sheet. (You check oil if it is heated rightly by dropping a pinch of dough in it. If the dough raises to top immediately, then it is ready.) When the sizzling reduces turn the murukku to other side and cook till they turn light brown. Remove it from oil and drain it up on kitchen tissue paper.
- Crispy and crunchy snack for any time is ready to devour. Store them in airtight container and it can last for a fortnight.
Notes
- When you roast the lentils, do not leave it un-attended even for a while as it easily burns.
- Pressure cooking black gram lentils with enough water is very important. I have used 2 cups of water to cook them that is when I could get soft and completely cooked lentils.
- I had to grind cooked lentils in two batches as I used small mixer jar. You can use big one and grind them in one go.
- Though 1/2 cup of lentils require 3 cups of rice powder, I recommend adding rice powder little by little to the lentil batter to avoid any disaster.
- When you press murukku, if it is breaking and not forming shape means your dough is too thick. You have to sprinkle some water to the dough and knead.
- If the murukku texture is improper and spikes are not prominent, then it indicates dough is too loose. You have to add some more rice powder to make it thick.
- Medium flame is always good to deep fry snacks like this.
Nice crispy chaklis…. Looks tempting
Wish i had them. Crunching here virtually 🙂
Thank you for keeping up our Udupi recipes ever green!
I’m gonna try this for Janmashtami 🙂 Thanks a lot for the recipe. Chakkulis look awesome .. 🙂
I am delighted Sowmya. Thanks for the accolades.