Sunday, February 18, 2007

Kara Pori - Spiced Puffed Rice Snack

Light and airy snack to munch on after school. This was my paternal grandmother's speciality, my attempt at recreating the taste and flavor of her Kaara pori. A very very simple snack but very tasty and fulfilling. With a bowl of this pori and a thriller novel in one hand time just flies. The addition of the garlic makes it special, used to hunt for the tasty roasted garlic pieces. Grandma added Mor Mizhakai - Chillies in Butermilk so there was nothing to be tossed or thrown out. Here Indira has a wonderful demonstration of how to make those tasty chillies. I did not have those so added red chillies.



Kaara Pori - Spiced Puffed Rice Snack
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1. 4 Cups of Pori (Puffed Rice)
2. 1/2 Cup of Aval (Poha or Beaten rice) - optional
3. 1/4 cup of Pottu Kadalai (Roasted Dalia)
4. 1/2 Cup of roasted peanuts
5. 2 tbsp Split Urad Dal
6. 6-8 Cloves of garlic sliced thin
7. 2 Dry Red Chillies split and deseeded
8. 1 tsp of mustard seeds + 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
9. few sprigs of curry leaves
10. 2tsp turmeric powder
11. 1 1/2 tsp Chilli powder (or as per taste)
12. 1 tsp of salt
13. 2 tsp of oil or ghee

Method
1. Take a Kadai or a big mouthed pan, heat oil ( I also added a little bit of ghee) and when it is hot
2. add the urad dal and fry till they start to turn brown, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they start to splutter
3. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes, now add the chilli pieces
4. Add the Aval and saute for about 8-10 minutes till they are roasted and not hard to bite on, but this time the garlic should be completely roased
5. Add the dalia and peanuts and the powders + salt and saute for a few more minutes
6. Now add the Puffed rice and roast till they are crunchy and the spice powders are coated about (8-10 minutes).




There a wonderful healthy tasty snack. Store in an airtight container. Lasts for a week.

10 comments:

  1. Oooh! When in B'lore,I used to make this a lot and store in like your dabba!!:D
    Now,I just Rice crispy cereal to make it,it's not that good as the real Puri.Mouthwatering Indo,making me nostalgic here!;D

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  2. We have a similar version called "Jhal Muri" but that doesn't require the stove top at any point.
    Yours is a very nice idea and I like it that it can be stored. But what is Aval ?

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  3. Asha, yes a real simple dish but tasty nonetheless.

    Sandeepa, it is Poha or beaten rice. I wanted to look up aval and forgot to add that in the post

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  4. Fates must be pulling me toward making an authentic Indian snack mix on my own. I have everything needed here save the puffed rice -- even have the dahi chiles :) You do have a knack for making complex sound easy to me -- so I'll have to try. Looks delish!

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  5. ISG - it reminds me of Jhal moori. We just bought avalkari from Indian store and I was debating if I should try making it and now I have your recipe. Thanks :)

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  6. hi isg
    i tasted this one in one of friends house..i know this will be very tasty..mmm!!!!

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  7. Your post reminded me to prepare it this week..:). Its a regular at our home. Nice pictures there.

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  8. Hi ISG,
    I have one pori pack with me, will try this. Thanks

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  9. Wow, Isn't this healthy Love it. I can just keep having this for hours.
    Thanx

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  10. Wow, Isn't this healthy Love it. I can just keep having this for hours.
    Thanx

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