Festive Murukku
HAPPY DEEPAVALI!!
Honestly I think murukku should be eaten at all times of the year! But just for the festivities, I’m adding some colour (all natural!) to jazz things up a little.
THE RECIPE
SERVES 6-8
Ingredients
1 cup atta flour
1 tsp ajawin/carom seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
¼ tsp turmeric
⅛ tsp asafoetida
½ tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Water (about less than ½ cup)
Vegetable oil/melted butter, for brushing
Directions
Preheat the oven 170ºC.
Place the flour in a clean cloth, tie it up securely so no water enters it, and steam for 15 minutes (covered).
Once steamed, leave aside to cool.
When cool enough to handle, roughly break it up with your hands and sieve it into a large bowl.
Into the same bowl, add all the spices and salt and mix well. Drizzle the melted butter in and mix well with your fingers.
Add in the water, a little at a time, till it comes together to form a soft, smooth, and non-sticky dough (when you squeeze the dough with one hand, it should come out easily from both ends of your palm). If you’re making coloured murukku, use fruit/vegetable juices at this point.
Grease the interior of the murukku press with some oil, and fill it with the dough.
On a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, press the murukku in a spiral shape (or any shape you desire!)
Brush with some oil/melted butter and bake at 170ºC for 12 minutes.
Then, remove from the oven, brush with more oil/butter and bake again for 13 minutes, or till golden brown.
Once done, leave to cool and store in an airtight container! Serve with chai.
Notes
Asafoetida is optional, but if you have onion/garlic powder lying around at home, that would work too!
A substitute for ajawin/carom seeds would be cumin seeds.