Kolkata Jhal Muri….Spicy Puffed rice of Bengal….travels to London as a pupular street food……

 

 

Kolkata Jhal Muri…..Spicy Puffed Rice………most popular street food  for all ages …..also travels to  London as one of the popular  street food…

Its key ingredient is puffed rice. Muri is to rice as popcorn is to corn kernals. . In eastern region of India, this is most popular breakfast, snack and popular street food.  Traditionally it was also considered as poor mans meal. It is also a key ingredient of Bhel Puri also. But its usage is vast and most varied in Bengali Household. It is eaten as it is or paired with sugar, jaggery, milk , fruit, Chola bhaja(roasted black chana) or combining  with banana or mango, jaggery, milk and sondesh. It’s a scrumptious breakfast in many household.

But Muri as a chaat has become all over india as well as has gained popularity in London as most delectable street food. I remember, this muri makha(hosehold name of jhal muri) was our common evening snack. Its light on stomach but filling at the same time. My mom used change the ingredients to make it interesting so that we are never bored. Actually Puffed rice or Muri  and mustard oil remains constant in this snack and other ingredients could be added as per individual choice. It could be, roasted spicy black gram, bhujia, roasted or fried peanuts, green peas, onion, green chili, chopped coconut and boiled potatoes, and the list goes on……. Healthier version would be with sprouts.  It could be spiced with Bengali toasted bhaja masala, tangy with chaat masala or tamarind water, red chili powder, pickle oil and many more……variety is endless….

During our summer vacation I used to find Jhal muriwalas only in Kolkata streets. Never found them in any other city in India. But now, this has found a place in Delhi streets also. I see many Punjabi and non Bengali  youngsters enjoy it as Jhal Muri chaat.

Today I have prepared   Jhal muri   with very traditional way with basic ingredients. It  turned in to a scrumptious snack and flew from the bowl in no time.

Ingredients:

 

1. Muri- Puffed Rice – 2 cups
2. Finely Chopped onion- 2 tblspn
3. Finely chopped cucumber- ½ cup
4. Finely chopped green chili- 1 tspn
5. Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tblspn
6. Roasted or fried Peanuts- 2 tblspn
7. Green peas – 2 tblspn
8. Finely chopped coconut- 2 tblspn
9. Chaat masala- 1 tspn
10. Toasted Bengali bhaja masala– 1 tspn
11. Black salt- ½ tspn
12. Mint leaves- 1 twig
13. Red chili flakes- ½ tspn
14. Mustard oil- 1 tblspn

In a bowl pour the puffed rice and keep  adding other masalas one by one. Add mustard oil at the end. Now mix everything together.

Follow my blog with:

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookwithreena

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/cookwithreena/

Reach me:cookwithreena2017@gmail.com