Muruku (Chakli)

An Indian snack, which is one of my favourites.  I have a few muruku recipes in my old recipe book and the following recipe is one of them.  This muruku dough consists of rice flour, urad dhal flour and cumin seeds, etc.  In order to fill up a medium-size bottle, I doubled the recipe.  Luckily, I did that because our younger son loves them to bits.  He even "tapau" them in his tupperware in order that he can snack on them during school recess time.

Ingredients:
200 g rice flour
50 g urud dhal flour (black gram)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
3 tbsp cooking oil
about 200 ml water
oil for deep-frying

Method:
In a mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.

In a small saucepan, heat cooking oil until smoky.  Add to dry ingredients.  Then, add water a little at a time and knead until a soft dough is achieved.  Take a portion of dough and form it into a cylindrical shape.  Then, insert dough into the muruku maker.

Press out round shapes onto a piece of baking paper as shown.  If you do not have a muruku maker, you can use your "Sawa" biscuit presser and take the star mould. Do not worry when the dough breaks off whilst you are pressing.  Just carry on pressing until the required shape is formed.  Then, just move the "out of shape" dough into place.  Note:  I also pressed the dough directly into the hot oil without forming them into rounds.

In a wok, heat enough oil for deep-frying over medium heat.  By using a flat ladle, remove pressed muruku from baking paper and transfer to wok.  Deep-fry over medium heat for about 7 to 8 minutes. Fry 3 to 4 murukus at a time.  Once done, remove to a tray which is lined with kitchen paper.

Leave murukus to cool down completely before storing them in airtight containers.

Bon Appetit!