Butter Chakkuli (Benne Muruku) & Kodubale

Benne Muruku is one variety of Chakkuli, crispy fried snack, which is very very soft and crisp and it melts in the mouth with yemmy taste. Benne means butter and the crunchy chakkuli is so soft and crispy.

Chakkuli can be made using different flours. Chakkuli is most famous crispy and tasty snack at any time of the day. Benne Muruku is nothing a Crispy Chakkuli prepared with Maida and Rice flour. Muruku is also known as chakkuli in Kannada, chakri in Gujarati, chakali in Marathi, murukulu in Telugu, muruku in Tamil.

Chakkuli or Muruku is one of the traditional treat for festivals like Diwali and Krishna Janmashtami. Now a days we get Chakkuli all over India. Chakkuli is one of the famous dish of South India. Traditionally Chakkuli is prepared with urid dal and rice flour.

Here is a recipe of Benne Muruku (Butter Chakkuli). Chakkuli here is prepared with rice flour, Maida and salt, Til seeds and oil. These chakkulis are easy to prepare. We get this Benne Muruku in Bakery acondiment stores and super markets. Home Made Benne Muruk is tastier and safe. It is a fried Item, you can have them any time of the day. You will enjoy eating chakkuli with a cup of Tea or Coffee.

Things Needed :

Maida (Plain flour) : 2 Cups
Rice Flour : 2 Cups
Chilly Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Sesame Seeds : 2 Table spoons
Salt : To taste
Butter : 1 Table spoon
Oil : To Fry (2 to 3 cups)
Chakkuli Mould to prepare chakkuli

Method :

1.Dry cook  Maida and Rice flour for 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not add water , Dry cook  in pressure cooker using weight).
2. Let the flour cool.

3. Now powder the flours  nicely using your fingers. Put it in a big bowl.

4. Add salt, sesame seeds, butter and chilly powder to the flours.

5. Mix it nicely and add water little by little and prepare dough.

6. Wash chakkuli mould and clean with dry cloth.

7. Divide the dough into small portions and put one portion into the mould.

8. Press the mould and prepare chakkuli on a tray or a wet towel.

9. Keep oil on the fire and heat. When the oil becomes hot fry chakkulis.
10. At time you can prepare 4 to 5 chakkulis. Prepare chakkuli on medium heat.

11. Fry on both sides till they turn slightly brown and remove from the oil and put them on the kitchen Tissue.

12. Prepare chakkuli with the remaining dough.

13. Now the chakkulis are ready to serve.

14. Serve with Cup of Hot Coffee or Tea.

15. You can also prepare Kodubale with the same Chakkuli Dough

You can also prepare chakkuli this way. Fill the chakkuli mould and straight leave the dough to the hot oil. giving a shape then and there while pressing the mould.

Note:

You can use dalda or hot oil instead of butter. Remember dalda is not a good option to choose. If you add more butter the chakkuli may dissolve in oil since they turn very soft. Use exactly one table spoon butter Or it may take more oil while frying and will not taste good. You can also add roasted powdered Urid dal. I have not added. Fry chakkuli on medium flame and be careful while you turn them or remove them from oil. You can also use jeera instead of sesame seeds. Using any one of them is advisable. Be aware the chakkuli sold outside may contain dalda or left over oil.
Guide  cook dry maida and rice flour before using it. 
Keep Maida and rice flour in different bowls while cooking. Do not add water while cooking. Put a glass of water to pressure cooker and keep an empty bowl up side down. Then place these flour bowls and cover with a plate. So that water does not enter the flour bowl. Close the  pressure cooker with its lid and put whistle and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow it to cool and remove the flour and powder them nicely ( with out using water).  Use it when it is the flour is cool. You can also cook these flours in Idly cooker. 

Time : 40 Minutes (Including steaming the flours).
25 to 30 chakkulis can be prepared (according to the size of the chakkuli). 

Apple Halwa

Apple Halwa is a sweet dish. It can be served as desert. It is an easy dish with little Ghee and sugar. I have used apples, sugar, milk powder, cashews and cardamom. 

I Have used apple, sugar, ghee, milk powder and ghee. 

Lets see the recipe now :

Ingredients.

Apple: 2
Sugar:3/4 Cup
Cardamom.  3 Pods
Ghee: 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Poppy seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Milk Powder : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Cashew Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of apples. Grate them slowly.

2. Crush cardamom and powder it. Keep it aside.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add cashew pieces and fry till they turn golden brown.
4. Add grated apples to the same pan and fry till the moisture disappear.

5. Fry nicely shift it to the other pan and mix it with sugar. It starts melting soon. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee.

6. Keep stirring nicely. Add a spoon of ghee and stir.
7. Add milk powder and mix it well. Needs to stir slowly on medium flame.

8. Add poppy seeds and mix the ingredients nicely.
9. It starts to leave the pan slowly. Add crushed cardamom and mix it well.

10. Stir till it become thick. Stir for another 5 minutes. Add remaining ghee and mix it well.

11. Greece the plate or tray with ghee. Pour ready Apple Halwa to this plate.
12. Spread the content evenly. Let it cool down completely.

13. Once it is cooled cut them according to your wish.
14. Serve Hot and Yummy Apple Halwa.

Notes:

Cook on low or medium flame. Adding more sugar helps the halwa to turn thick. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Ghee adds to the taste. One should keep stirring the halwa with out fail.
Adding more sugar helps the halwa to be thick faster.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : According to your wish.