Murrukku and chakli

Murrukku, a typical twisted fried snack made with rice and black gram flour, is also sometimes called chakli (Figure 2.3.1). Murukku is prepared from rice flour and blackgram flour; chakli is a similar snack where chana (chickpea) flour is also included in the formulation. It is an extrusion-shaped traditional snack popular in South India. Other names for chakli are chakali and chakkuli. The advantages of this ready-to-eat snack are an easy-to-prepare method, unique appearance, and attractive marginally hard crispy texture. The product often has corrugations on the external surfaces to offer an appealing appearance. Often the strands are given a spiral shape to make them eye-catching. Small pieces of about 10 mm in diameter and lengths of 30 mm are common. The average diameter of the individual strands is between 6 and 15 mm while the total length may be from 30 to 150 mm.

The shelf-life of the product is 2 to 3 months. Good packaging with nitrogen filling can increase the shelf-life by another 1 or 2 months. Permitted antioxidants at the approved level can be used in the formulation. 

The moisture and fat contents of murukku vary markedly based on the raw materials used and frying conditions. The moisture and fat contents are generally around 2-4% and 17-35%, respectively. The quality attributes of commercially available murukku, and sensory profiling are available.

The product is similar in appearance and taste to another traditional snack called gathia or ganthia which is popular in the Western and Northern parts of India. Here, the main ingredient is besan flour while the product is softer and crispier than murukku. The product may contain small ridges along the length of the strands, though products without ridges are also sold in the marketplace. The spicy, sweet, and sour-tasting gathia are commonly available. The temperature of frying is around 175-180oC while the dough fed through the die openings is moderately soft. If protected from air and moisture, the snack has a shelf-life of three months.    

Raw materials
The main ingredients are rice flour, urad (black gram) dhal flour, oil or ghee, and salt. The optional ingredients are besan (Bengal gram), wheat flour, turmeric and chilli powder, ajowan, other spice powders, asafoetida, and sesame and cumin seeds. 

Method of preparation
It is typically made from rice and urad dhal flour. Often, rice and black gram are roasted on a hot surface before using them in the formulation. The flour is mixed with salt, asafoetida, and other dry ingredients (Figure 2.3.2). A small quantity of oil/butter/ghee is added to the dry mix followed by adding the required quantity of water to prepare a semi-hard dough. Kneading of dough is done for a few minutes and then shaped by extrusion-forming process into a spiral or coil shape using a chakli press, or employing a mould and hand.

The die outlet, designed as a circular or star orifice, is used to obtain the traditional shape of the product. The samples are then deep-fried in vegetable oil. Frying is continued till a golden brown colour appears and a crispy texture is obtained. Deoiling is often done by manual tapping or keeping on a perforated net.

Machinery
A planetary mixer capable of mixing dry ingredients and the formation of the dough is needed. A batch or continuous extrusion shaping unit, fryer, deoiling system and packaging facilities are also required.