Chakkuli or Murukku is a crunchy, savory, deep fried Indian snack. This snack is extremely popular in the southern states and is well loved by all Indians. They are mostly made during festivals in big batches, stored in air-tight containers and snacked on though out the year. There are different variations of this recipe. Make it with rice flour or maida (like this recipe) they taste amazing.

Ingredients :

• Maida(all purpose flour) – 2 cups .
• Urad dal – 1 cup .
• Butter – 1 tbsp .
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp .
• Black sesame seeds – 1 tsp .
• Chilly powder – 2 tsps ( optional ) .
• Salt to taste .
• Oil to deep frying .

Method :

1. Sieve and tie the flour in a white cotton cloth. Steam the flour in a pressure cooker or steamer for about 15 minutes . When you untie, the steam cooked flour would have turned hard like a rock. Let it cool for few minutes.
2. At this time dry roast urad dal till light pink in colour. Let it cool then powder it to fine powder and sieve it .
3. Break the maida flour using fingers, sieve it once again .
4. In a wide mixing bowl add butter ( room temperature ), salt , sesame seeds , cumin seeds , chilly powder , maida and urad dal powder . Mix it well and check and adjust the salt at this stage .
5. Adding water in steps, make a pliable dough from the flour . Divide in to equal portion and cover it with a damp cloth .

6. Fill 3/4 of the Murukku press with the dough . Next press the chakkuli over a piece of paper in a spiral shape .

7. Heat oil in a wok and as it gets heated up, slowly slide the chakkuli from the paper into oil . On a medium flame deep fry the chakkuli , cook both sides and remove when they turned golden brown . Drain excess oil over a paper towel.

8. Repeat the process with rest of the dough . When cool store them in air tight container .

Notes:

• To check oil, drop a piece of dough and see if it raises to the surface immediately, if so the oil is rightly heated and you can start deep frying .
• Always keep the flame medium low when you are deep frying .