From South India To Your Table: Discover Unique South Indian Snacks For Diwali Spread

From Tamil Nadu to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Diwali is one of the biggest festivals on the calendar. Just like most parts of India, this is a time for family, friends, faith, fireworks and festivities. It's also a time for Diwali delicacies. Most homes start prepping for Diwali a few weeks in advance and it's not just shopping that's on the cards. This is also a time when many home cooks prepare delicious sweets. It's also a time for Diwali savouries that complement an array of sweets. In many homes across Tamil Nadu you will be served sweet, kaaram and kaapi (coffee). We'll put the focus on the kaaram or savouries with three unique recipes that you can try at home:
Also Read: Healthy Festive Recipes: These South Indian Desserts Combine Taste And Health - NDTV Food

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Recipe - Kavuni Arisi Murukku

This is a unique twist (Murukku gets its name from the twists) on the classic murukku (chakli), which is made with black rice. Many experts consider black rice (or kavunni arisi in Tamil) a superfood because of the presence of anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant. Black rice is also rich in fibre and is a source of phytonutrients that cleanse the body. This unique rice varietal adds a unique chocolate brown hue to this murukku:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black rice (Kavuni arisi)
• 1/4 Cup gram flour
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 tbsp Asafoetida
• 1 tbsp White sesame seeds
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

Method:

• Wash the black rice. Soak the rice for at least two hours.
• Drain water and spread it on a cloth; let it dry completely.
• Grind the black rice to a fine powder in a mixer.
• Add the powdered black rice, gram flour, asafoetida, sesame seeds, red chilli powder, salt and ghee in a bowl and mix well.
• Add water as required, and knead it to make a soft dough; add oil and knead again.
• Use a murukku mould, fill the prepared dough in and press to get the perfect shape as you squeeze it into hot oil.
• Deep fry till crisp on medium hot oil and flip over to fry both sides evenly.
•  Drain out the extra oil with tissue paper once it's fried to perfection.Store in an airtight container once it cools down.

Recipe - Ribbon Pakoda

Takes its name from the unique ribbon shape (that you can achieve with the right mould).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 tsp asafoetida
• 3/4 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (white)
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt and water - to taste
• Oil For deep frying

Method:

• Mix the rice flour, gram flour, red chilli powder, melted butter, oil, asafoetida and salt in a bowl, and mix well.
• Keep adding small quantities of water to make a non-sticky dough.
• Use a ribbon pakoda mould. Fill the dough in the mould and press the dough into hot oil in a circular motion to form a single layer.
• Flip the pakoda to fry both sides evenly.
• Drain out the extra oil with tissue paper once it's fried to perfection.
• Store in an airtight container once it cools down.

Recipe - Karuvapellai Murukku

I first came across this interesting twist to the murukku at Anandas in Coimbatore, one of the city's most popular vegetarian restaurants and sweet shops. Anandas has an array of interesting savouries including a beetroot murukku with its red velvet hues and the karuvapellai (curry leaf) version that incorporates the flavours and goodness of curry leaf.
Also Read: Chettinad's Kalkandu Vadai Gives A Sweet Twist To South Indian Breakfast Staple (Recipe Inside)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup roasted gram flour
• 1/2 cup curry leaves tightly packed
• 3 green chilis
• 2 garlic pods
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 tbsp asafoetida
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt as required

Method:

• Add rice flour, roasted gram flour, cumin seeds, sesame seeds salt, and asafoetida in a bowl.
• Add melted butter and mix well.
• Grind the curry leaves, garlic and green chilli along with water. Filter it before you add this to the flour mixture.
• Knead the dough well, cover it with a cloth and set it aside for 5 minutes.
• Use a murukku mould, fill the prepared dough in the mould and press to get the perfect shape as you squeeze it into hot oil.
• Deep fry till crisp on medium hot oil and flip over to fry both sides evenly.
• Drain out the extra oil with tissue paper once it's fried to perfection.
• Store in an airtight container once it cools down.

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