Moong dal munchies / Pesarapappu murukullu (janthikallu)

pesarapappu murukku (janthikallu)

As diwali is nearing by, I am busy in my kitchen making different snacks and sweets. I feel like I am cooking for some marathon.

No festival is complete with out savors and sweets. When it comes to savors, Murukulu or janthikallu are always on the top of the list for generations.

This is my great grandmother speciality recipe (my great grand mother who is a wonderful cook, sure has magic in her fingers, anything she makes is utterly finger licking) for making muruku. Instead of roasting the dal and powdering it, she pressure cooks dal and make these murukku that are irresistibly delicious and adored by every one. Best of all no butter or oil while kneading the dough, yet they come out hollow, crunchy and delicious.

A healthy evening snack.

We can use the same recipe for making urad dal muruku or janthikalu.

pesarapappu murukulu (janthikallu)

Ingredients-

• 1 cup Pesara pappu (moongdal)
• 3 cups RiceFlour
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds (nuvvulu)
• 1 tsp salt  or to taste
• 1 tsp Red chili powder or as to taste

muruku process starting from left top

Directions-

1. Pressure cook, moong dal (pesara pappu) for 4 whistles.
2. Let all the pressure cool off. Open the cooker lid, If you have any left over water in moong dal, drain it into a bowl and save it for kneading.
3. Mash dal with a hand blender or a grinder, into a smooth paste.
4. To this smooth paste, add 3 cups rice flour, salt, sesame seeds and red chili powder. Mix it thoroughly until the mixture turns into a dry powder.
5. Add ¼ cup of warm water( heat water for 30 sec in micro wave or if you have left over water after pressure cooking dal, please use it. Don’t waste the protein!!) and knead the dough to get a soft ball. By the end of the kneading process, the dough should not stick to your hand. (if it is sticking to your hand, you added more water than required, just add little rice flour and adjust it.

If it is too dry to form a ball, just add little more water)

1. Divide the dough into batches so that each batch can be filled into the Muruku press.
2. Heat a wide heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil for deep frying. Take the muruku press and use the disc with a star hole or a medium round hole.
3. Fill the press with the dough and once the oil is hot, reduce to medium flame and using circular motion, press the muruku gun (press) to make good circles. While pressing the dough into the hot oil, you will find the oil froth up in bubbles which will eventually subside as the murukku turn to a golden shade. Remember the frying has to be done on medium flame to achieve that golden color and crispness.
4. While frying a batch of murukku, cover the rest of the dough to prevent it from forming a cake (dry layer)
5. TIP1- When the oil froth subsides down, take a fork and tap the murukku, you will feel the hardness of murukku when tapping, a quick way of knowing that they are well cooked.
6. TIP2-Since the dal is pressure cooked, these murukku will not get dark brown unlike the murukku or janthikallu we make with dry flour. If your murukku turns dark brown then you have over cooked it.
7. When the janthikalu turn a golden color, turn over to the other side and let it also cook to a golden brown. Use a slotted ladle to remove onto an absorbent paper and cool. Repeat the same process till the rest of the dough is done. Cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

pesarapappu murukku