Ragi Murukku Finger Millet Chakli Recipe

Today I am here with one popular Kongunadu recipe Ragi Murukku Finger Millet Chakli Kezhvaragu Mullu Murukku, I got inspired much on this rai murukku (that’s how we pronounce in Tamil) when I saw its speedy sale at popular departmental stores in Erode region. My Chithi (Mother’s Younger Sister) makes this murukku often and

after coming here though I made several times, only today I got time to post this recipe. I have few such recipes and don’t know when I get time to post all those!!! Also I added Garlic and Onion paste to get nice flavor and its adapted from my family’s signature Ottu Pakoda/Ribbon Pakoda Recipe. My kids take murukku, adhirasam, Ladoo kind of traditional snacks to school. You can use search option or check categories to find the recipes.

What is Murukku / Chakli?

Murukku in Tamil meaning “twisted” in English is generally a circle/disc shaped spiral savory and crunchy snack originated in southern part of India. Its also by different names in each state as Chakli, Chakali, Chakri, Chakkuli . The two most common main ingredients are gluten free Rice Flour and Urad dal or Gram flour. If you want to make it healthy and tasty substitute half portion of rice flour with millet flour of your choice. The two top popular suggesting millets to make murukku/chakli are Thinai (Foxtail Millet) and Ragi (Finger Millet). You can browse the collection of murukku recipes are HERE.

Ragi Flour/Finger Millet Flour

Ragi is called as Finger Millet in English, which has high protein and mineral content. Also this is home ground flour using whole grain millet. I am planning to post Ragi recipes as a series in Instagram soon for time being do check the Ragi recipes HERE.

How it can be healthy?

As I told previously Ragi murukku is a very popular snack in Kongu region. Nothing can beat the taste of millets in any dish and particularly in murukku. If you want to make it more healthier do use air fryer by drizzling a tsp oil over shaped raw murukku in each batch and fry it.

How Murukku can be shaped?

We use a special murukku press/ chakli mold to make designs and the press comes with different shapes. Based on the design the murukku is been called as Mullu Murukku, Magizhampoo Murukku, Muthusaram (the design shown here), Thenkuzhal so and so. For making designs do check this video for reference. Beginners can easily just squeeze the dough in direct oil and you can refer this video or post for making disc shape free beginner butter murukku.

Points to remember

* You can use thick idli batter or store bought rice flour, in both cases the process are same, only water is need in high for instant rice flour. You can check my step by step Thenkuzhal Murukku Recipe for the thick idli batter /arisi maavu consistency pictures or this video.
** The Ragi Flour lacks in binding so here the gram flour is used to hold the mullu murukku like shapes. If not going for perfect round shapes you can use pottu kadalai/dalia flour and make random shape murukkus, so choice is yours in picking either gram flour or pottukadalai flour.
*** If using whole red chilis soak few hours and grind with rice batter or with onion/garlic paste.

Ingredients for Ragi Murukku

• Thick Idli Rice Batter (arisi maavu) or Instant Rice Flour- 2 Cups
  Ragi Flour – 2 Cups
  Butter – 5 Tbsp
  Urad Flour – 1/3 Cup (Homemade or storebought)
  ** Pottukadalai/Dalia Flour or Gram Flour – 1/3 Cup
  ***Red Chili Powder – 2tsp or More or Whole Red Chilis –  2-4 Numbers
  Ajwain/Sesame Seeds – 1 Tbsp (gives nice flavor to the murukku)
  1/2 Onion + 5-6 Cloves of Garlic Paste (both gives nice flavor and taste)
  Salt and Water – As Needed

How to make Ragi Murukku

• Mix all the dry ingredients first.
• Grind soaked chilis with onion and garlic(Pic 1) and make fine paste.
• Add the ground paste, butter to flour mixture(Pic 2) and mix crack free dough as shown in picture 3.
• Choose the design you wish (I used star press) then add the dough in to murukku press.
• Make the shapes in spatula (Pic 4) and drop it in oil.
• Also you can make random shapes by pressing directly in oil, as we do for thenkuzhal murukku or butter murukku.
• Once pressed, cook in medium flame otherwise the ragi murukku turns black soon.
• So keep an eye and remove it at the right time (Pic 5).

• Depends on quality of rice or rice flour they may become hard, if you feel the murukku turned very hard / crisp while tasting the first bacth you can add another 1 tbsp of butter.
• But it won’t be that much crispy like the first day on the second day or later.

• Drain the excess oil using paper towel and store in air tight container.
• Ragi Murukku remains fresh for more than 15 days to 1 month.
• To retain crispiness do store in air tight container.

Ragi Murukku Recipe Card

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Ragi Murukku Finger Millet Chakli Recipe

Author: Sangeetha Priya

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Thick Idli Rice Batter or Instant Rice Flour
• 2 Cups Ragi Flour
• 5 Tbsp Butter
• 1/3 Cup Urad Flour
• 1/3 Cup ** Pottukadalai/Dalia Flour or Gram Flour
• 2-4 Numbers Whole Red Chilis
• 2 tsp OR ***Red Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp Ajwain/Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 Onion + 5-6 Cloves of Garlic Paste
• Salt and Water – As Needed

Instructions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients first.
2. Grind soaked chilis with onion and garlic(Pic 1) and make fine paste.
3. Add the ground paste, butter to flour mixture(Pic 2) and mix crack free dough as shown in picture 3.
4. Choose the design you wish (I used star press) then add the dough in to murukku press.
5. Make the shapes in spatula (Pic 4) and drop it in oil.
6. Also you can make random shapes by pressing directly in oil, as we do for thenkuzhal murukku.
7. Once pressed, cook in medium flame otherwise the ragi murukku turns black soon.
8. So keep an eye and remove it at right time (Pic 5).
9. Depends on quality of rice or rice flour they may become hard, if you feel the murukku turned hard while tasting you can add another 1 tbsp of butter.
10. Drain the excess oil using paper towel and store in air tight container.
11. Ragi Murukku remains fresh for more than 15 days.