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Thinai Murukku | Millet Chakli | Quinoa Chakli From Scratch

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Again a traditional ingredient Quinoa/Thinai but this time I used it in snack. Thanks to one of my reader who searched Thinai Murukku in google and ended up in my Pottukadalai murukku, Otherwise I couldn’t get this idea. First time I experimented with 1 Cup measurement and the taste was awesome. I assure that you get the traditional petti kadai/shop murukku taste. Second time I

made in huge quantity shared with few of my neighbors and stored it for H before making our trip.

Thinai/Foxtail Millet and Quinoa are different in texture but process of making murukku/chakli is similar n taste wise too…

Ingredients
Rice Flour – 3 Cups
Foxtail Millet/Quinoa Flour – 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp (I used whole grain and powdered it Refer Note 3)
Unsalted Butter – 4-5 Tbsp
Omam/Ajwain – 2tsp
Whole Red Chilis or Red Chili Powder – 5 number or 2tsp
Salt n Water – As Required
Oil – For deep fry

Method

  • Soak the red chilis for at least 4hrs and grind to fine paste.
  • You can use instant red chili powder too.
  • Dry roast the whole thinai/quinoa (Pic 1) till they are lightly golden and start to pop (approx 4-5mins in medium flame).
  • Powder it well when cooled completely (Pic 2).
  • Can sieve it but i didn’t do so but make sure it powdered well otherwise the murukku turns so hard (Refer note 1 for another reason).
  • Mix all the ingredients except oil n water (Pic 3).
  • Sprinkle little by little water and make it soft pliable dough Pic 4 (Refer Note 2).
  • Add the dough in murukku aachu/press and make shapes in a parchment/aluminum foil/non stick surface Pic 5.
  • Shift the pressed/shaped murukkus in hot oil using flat ladle or
  • You can press one at a time in another big ladle and flip it to hot oil or directly in hot oil.
  • Fry till golden brown or sound suppresses Pic 6.
  • Drain the excess oil n store in air tight container.

Note:

  1. The other reason for hard murukku is becoz of less butter in the dough, so increase it when u feel hard.
  2. The dough neither break while making shapes nor have too much moisture.
  3. Use white/regular processed/husk removed quinoa.
  4. By mistake if the dough has too much of moisture adjust it with rice flour n millet flour (3:1 proportions)
  5. Before storing in container make sure the murukkus cooled out completely.
  6. Make shapes without gap in between circles.
Old Picture

Reader Interactions

Comments

  15. Hi, This beautiful murukku image caught my mind on recipenewz, beautiful images.

    I have doubt about using Quinoa, I see in ingredients you are using rice flour and millet. Did you miss writing quinoa or you think millet is quinoa? They both are different grains. If you used quinoa, I was curious to know how its texture works in murukku?

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Usha thanks for stopping here…Yup Thinai/Finger Millet n Quinoa are different. Either one is predominantly available in market, luckily I got both and experimented well before posting here. The only thing is, I missed to mention quinoa in Ingredient list, Thanks for reminding it. As stated earlier you have to powder n sieve the flour, if you worry about the Murukku texture…

      Reply

  20. I just wish you are my neighbour now dear! Your murukkus are just perfect!!! Awesome shots…
    Can I grab a few…how I wish to do so now!!! 😉

    Reply

  28. traditional muruku's my mom said my grandma used to make murukku in thinai flour…from that time i was fond of trying that murukku recipe…keeping your recipe as a bookmark i will make this murukku

    Reply

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