murukkus for my mama..

My Saila Mama (third maternal uncle) has recently developed severe gluten allergy which means he is off wheat totally. The other day we were all enjoying hot nimkis with tea when Mama remarked with a woebegone face that tea and nimkis used to be his favourite snack. So I thought of making murukkus for him which would also be savoury and crisp (similar to nimkis) but most importantly not having any wheat. I hunted for an old wooden murukku press (inherited from my grandmother) which had not been used since her death  and got into the business of murukku making. I could not handle the three star nozzels of the murukku press so they turned out to be rather large ones...but the taste was very good for a first time murruku maker.
Needless to say I have a very happy Mama now cruching away his murrukus to glory. :) 

WE NEED

1. Par boiled rice 1 cup
2. Urad dal 1/2 cup
3. Salt to taste
4. 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
5. 1 tsp roughly ground pepper corns
6. 1 tsp white seasame (til) seeds
7. Hing (asafoetida) 1 pinch
8. 3 tbs unsalted butter
9. Oil for frying

LETS GET GOING

1. Soak the rice overnight. Drain properly and grind with the help of little water (about 1/4th cup) to a smooth paste.(the paste should not be too watery.
2. Dry roast the urad dal and grind to a powder.
3. Mix in the jeera, salt, hing and seasame seeds with the urad dal powder.
4. Mix this powder into the ground rice paste add the butter and knead into a dough (similar to that for making rotis). 
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Put small amounts of the dough into the murukku press and prees out murukkus into the hot oil. Fry till golden and drain.
7. Store in an airtight container.