Sagu Biyyam Muruku / Sago Muruku/Sabudana Muruku

This month’s Indian cooking challenge suggested by Srivalli was to prepare a muruku. When I saw the recipe there was a catch, it contains Sabudana/Tapioca perals. What? I have seen them using  in sabudana upma / kichadi (which mother-in –law is an expert, I learnt from her), and sabudana vada. Amma used sabudana to make paysam or to add along with kadala payasam so they look like pearl in the payasam. I had never heard about using sabudana in muruku.

After reading notes from fellow blogger friends I was expecting a fire cracker session in my kitchen while making the Sago Muruku. I didn’t mention this to my dear hubby; if he knows then he would tell me not to try it. Because messing kitchen for a muruku is not worth it according to him. I wanted to try it anyway without his knowledge, and if outcomes is good I would tell him, or otherwise I won’t, thus thinking I gave it a try. Luckily I didn’t get any fire cracker while making the muruku. 

I didn’t do soak sabudana in curd and only soaked using plain water, the original plan of soaking being for 8 h. However I was not able to get to it next day, as we had to attend a birthday function of our friend’s daughter. So it was in water for more than 48 hours and I was worried whether my sabudana had gone bad. I also had no fried gram dal flour/Pottu Kadalai flour in home, so made homemade version by grinding Roasted gram dal using a coffee grinder. Added some cumin seeds and Asafoetida which is not in the given recipe. I only made half the recipe as it was hard to press sabudana using a muruku presser, since I have pain in my left hand. I learnt I need to develop some muscles to press this muruku into the oil. Or I have to call our villains or super heroes in our movies to do it in a split second. To my surprise the sabudana muruku came out tasty and crispy, even though I didn’t get the proper shape of muruku. I am fine with that. Who cares as amma used to say in order to put in our mouth we need to break them into pieces. I will make it again. Here goes the recipe. 

What you need
Rice Flour: 1 cup
Besan flour: 1/4 cup
Fried gram flour/pottu kadalai: 1/4 cup
Sago/Sabudana/Tapioca pearls: 1/4 cup
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Curd - 50 grams ( I didn’t used)
Chile powder - 1 teaspoon
Hot oil: 1 tablespoon (I used olive oil)
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida: ¼ teaspoon
Water: ¾ cup

How I made

Soak Sago in water for 3 hrs, However I end up soaking them for 48 hours.

In medium bowl add rice, fried gram flour, besan, chili powder, cumin seeds, asafetodia, salt and oil and mix well. To this add water and soaked sago and mix once again to form dough. Knead 1-2 to minutes to form a smooth chapathi dough consistency.
In thick bottomed pan heat oil, once it become smoking hot. Using a muruku achu or presser , press a small amount of dough directly into the oil.
As one side starts cooking in about 3 minutes flip the other side and also cook for another 3 minutes. Once they become golden brown, remove them using a slotted spoon.

Drain excess oil in kitchen towel. Repeat the process until the entire dough is finished.

Cool and store it in an air tight container.

Enjoy with hot tea or coffee.

Preparation time: Soaking time: 3 hours
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 serving
Verdict: yummy, crispy
will you make it again: yes I will.

Swathi