Jhal Muri – Bengali Spicy Puffed Rice
Jhal Muri is something is something that I came face to face with around 17. And I fell in love. It served as a go to breakfast most days of morning college.
Yes, back at home there was such a thing as morning college. (I shall explain!!!).
My breakfast for a large part of my college days was Jhaal Muri or a spicy very Bengali puffed rice mélange.
Lots of vegetables – cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, some brown chickpeas, chipped coconut, toasted peanuts. These all meshed together with spices and tamarind water.
My Jhal Muri and Morning College Story
Now, the story of morning college is a little more unique to me. For a girl back in the day (2 decades ago in a city called Kolkatta), who seemed to have hit all the right numbers (aka ICSE scores), not wanting to be a doctor or an engineer seemed like a blasphemy, at least to my family!
Well, all things considered accounting is indeed what I studied. This meant going to morning college as that is when business classes were offered.
So, here was the very Bengali, not so glamorous South City College, a relic of the Brahma Heritage!!
And like it or not, Dad sat in with me and we walked through the entrance exams and that was where I studied and obtained my undergraduate degree. Every morning we landed in sort of kind of bleary eyed into college. Too early for me to eat before I left and frankly too early for mom to cook anything, well we were supposed to be in class by 6:20. I made it thanks to my good friend Monica Chadda who dragged me along and 2 classed later stood at the Jhal Muri line convincing me that it was pretty decent breakfast. And, I was convinced enough to have eaten it at least a couple of times a week every morning.
I mean, some crisp and crunchy stuff, cukes, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and minced coconut, How can you go wrong?? Not surprisingly, it works well on our table this time of the year.
So, I quizzed many people included the street vendors themselves on the good, bad and delicious of Jhal Muri, my recipe, is it authentic, who knows, but when I toss and mix the melange, I taste those carefree mornings of promise, difference and potential.
Another classic and comforting breakfast in our house includes Alu Parathas.
Spicy Puffed Rice or Jhal Muri is an iconic street dish, that most Bengalis remember and enjoy with relish and nostalgia.
Ingredients
- 11/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (not concentrate)
- 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon black salt
- 1/2 small cucumber peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 medium sized roma tomato, diced
- 1/2 an onion, finely diced
- 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 or 2 tablespoons dry roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon cooked brown chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons Indian spicy mix called Dalmut or chanachoor (optional)
- 1 tablespoon finely diced coconut
- 2 cups puffed rice or muri
- 11/2 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- Sev or Indian Crispy noodles to finish
Instructions
- Dry roast the cumin and the red chili until the cumin is fragrant and a few shades darker, grind to a powder and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add in the tamarind paste and squeeze in the lime juice and stir in 1 tablespoon of water. Mix in the freshly ground cumin and red chili and the black salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix in the cucumber, tomato, onion, green chili (if using), roasted peanuts, chickpeas, the dalmut (if using), and the diced coconut and mix well.
- Stir in the tamarind and spice dressing and mix well.
- Finally add in the puffed rice, drizzle with the mustard oil, chopped cilantro and mix well. Garnish with the sev and serve immediately.