Twisted treats: A guide to homemade chakli or murukku

To begin, take a bowl and add the rice flour. Next, in a blender, combine the grated coconut, shallots, garlic, and cumin seeds. Add a small amount of water to help the blending process, then blend until you achieve a smooth and fine paste.

Add the ground coconut mixture, sesame seeds, one tablespoon of oil or clarified butter, carom seeds, and salt to the rice flour. Mix everything thoroughly.

Gradually add hot water to the mixture. Cover it and set aside for about five minutes.

Using your hands, knead the flour mixture to form a dough. Aim for a firm yet pliable consistency. The dough should be non-sticky but not crumbly.

Now, grease the murukku mould and attach the star-shaped murukku disk to it. Fill the mould with the dough until it is about three-quarters full.

Press the mould to release the dough, shaping it into spirals on a plate using a circular hand motion.

Heat enough oil over a high flame in a large, thick-bottomed kadai or pan. Once the oil is hot, gently transfer a few murukkus using a spatula.

Fry them over a medium to high flame until golden brown and crisp, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking.

Turn them occasionally to fry both sides thoroughly. Once done, remove the murukkus with a skimmer and continue frying the remaining batches. Allow it to cool before storing them in an airtight container.

Note:

You can easily find the mould online or at various Indian supermarkets across the UAE.

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