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Murki
Puffed rice in jaggery
মুড়কি: puffed rice glazed in date-palm jaggery for the harvest festival
Nabanna, the 'new rice' festival of late autumn in Bangladesh and West Bengal, celebrates the first harvest of aman paddy, and the season's first date-palm jaggery arrives just in time. Murki is the treat every village makes for it: crisp puffed rice tossed in a pan of thick, boiling khejur gur until each grain is coated in a thin, crackly glaze, with a hint of dry ginger. It is offered to guests on Nabanna and on Bijoya and Lakshmi Puja, and children eat it by the handful. The common mistake is undercooking the syrup, which leaves the murki chewy and clumped; overcook it and it tastes burnt. The syrup is ready when large, slow bubbles cover the surface and a drop in cold water sets into a ball you can roll. Chef's tip: toss with two spatulas, lifting from the bottom, and keep going until the grains separate and stop sticking.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz puffed rice (muri)
- 5 ½ oz date-palm jaggery (khejur gur or patali)or dark cane jaggery, grated
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp dry ginger powder
- 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanuts (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: If the 3 ½ oz puffed rice (muri) is not perfectly crisp, toast it in a dry wok over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it crackles. Tip into a bowl.
4 minStep 2: Put 5 ½ oz date-palm jaggery (khejur gur or patali) and 3 tbsp water in the wok over a low heat and stir until melted.
3 minStep 3: Raise the heat to medium and boil for 4–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the syrup is thick with large, slow bubbles and a drop in cold water sets into a firm ball.
6 minStep 4: Take off the heat, stir in ½ tsp dry ginger powder, then tip in the muri and 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanuts. Toss quickly with two spatulas, lifting from the bottom, for 1–2 minutes until every grain is coated.
2 minStep 5: Spread on a tray and break up any clumps as it cools. Once crisp, store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does murki take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of puffed rice (muri)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of date-palm jaggery (khejur gur or patali)?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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