Kara Pori | Murmura | Spicy Puffed Rice Snack

My 90's childhood summer memories about puffed rice snack — Porrriiiii! A man on a bicycle with a large gunny bag full of puffed rice hanging on the back of his bicycle rides around our colony every afternoon calling out as loud as he can - Porrrriiiii! A sign for stay at home mom's to rush out and buy a bowl of crispy pori to make evening snacks for the family. 

I particularly don't remember my mom making Kara Pori because we as a family used to consume puffed rice in our summer drink that we call pori kalikayathu. It is banana mashed into water flavoured with cardamom and topped with crispy puffed rice. I hope to share that sometime here on the blog as part of a childhood theme - InshaAllah. But today's kara pori was born from the need for evening munchies especially since the pandemic started. I made a few different ways and found that we both love the garlic flavoured kara pori. Though they say this can be stored for days we finish a batch in one sitting.

• Oil: You can use any cooking oil but we loved the batch made with coconut oil or ghee. 
• Peanuts: Use the one you get with skin that has to be toasted or roasted.
• Pottukadalai: Aka roasted chana dal 
• Mustard seeds: I am tagging this as an optional ingredient because I personally did not like it being in there. You can skip this ingredient and still have a tasty kara pori. 
• Dried red chilli: Again an optional item but if you do not have red chilli powder or sambar powder, then throw in a couple of dried red chilli in the warm oil.
• Curry leaves: I will never tell you to skip this... Find some and only then make Kara Pori. 
• Garlic cloves: Some people add crushed with the skin, I like to make thin long slices as they become crispy. If you don't like the garlic taste, you can skip this. 
• Turmeric powder: adds colour to the otherwise white puffed rice. 
• Red chilli powder or sambar powder
• Puffed rice aka pori aka murmura
• Salt to taste

How to make Kara Pori?

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
• ¼ cup peanuts
• 2 tablespoons pottukadalai (roasted chana dal)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
• 1 dried red chilli (optional)
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly lengthwise
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or sambar powder
• 3 cups of puffed rice (Pori aka murmura)
• Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Heat coconut oil in a thick bottomed kadai on a medium flame.
2. Add the peanuts and fry until you hear a popping sound. Next, add the roasted chana dal (pottukadalai) and fry until they turn golden. Reduce the flame to low and move the contents to one side of the pan.
3. Add mustard seeds (if using), dried red chilli (if using), curry leaves and garlic. Saute until the seeds splutter and garlic slices turn golden. 
4. If the pan is really hot, you may switch it off and cook on residue heat. Else make sure the flame is really low. This is to ensure the spice powders don't get burnt. Stir in the turmeric powder and red chilli powder or sambar powder. 
5. Lastly, fold in the puffed rice (pori/ murmura) with a pinch of salt. Mix until all the puffed rice is coated with the spice. 
6. Switch off and transfer the content into a large bowl to cool. Store in an airtight container and serve with evening chai. 

For a chaat or salad version, you can convert this Kara Pori to Masala Pori by adding finely chopped tomatoes, onions, grated carrot or cucumber with a few drops of lemon juice. Ideally, for that version, we use boiled peanuts. If you plan to make it, add the veggies towards the serving time so the puffed rice stays somewhat crispy. 

If you have beaten rice or flattened rice aka rice flakes, then do try my Aval Milk recipe.