How to make Janthikalu | Chickpea & Rice Murukku Recipe

Janthikalu are a popular deep fried Andhra savory snack that are easy to make at home. You can call them murukku, chakli or chakralu. But all these different names refer to this crunchy and addictive snack.

I grew up eating this homemade instant murukku. This is my mom's version that uses chickpea flour or besan and rice flour in 1:2 ratio. The recipe comes together in no time and is a perfect accompaniment with tea.

About the Recipe

I love crispy, crunchy and addictive food, especially Andhra snacks. My mom is an excellent cook and she always made sure that we had a good stock of homemade snacks, while growing up. I don't remember ever eating store bought snacks. Some of my favorite snacks are the deep fried ones like these pesara garelu, namkeen or instant vada.

This janthikalu or besan rice flour murukku is one snack that my mom made quite frequently. This is great as tea time snack or even to pack for long drives.

You can make besan murukku recipe with just chickpea flour like in this ganthiya. But they don't have the same crunch as these. Rice flour adds that addictive crunchiness to this snack.

These are instant murukku and are quite easy to make. There is no soaking or grinding involved. All you need is to mix all the ingredients into a dough and then deep fry them until golden brown.

You will need a murukku or janthikalu press aka janthikala gottum (shown in the ingredients photo) to make this snack. My mom sent me her press that she used for years. So this mold is kind of sentimental and I hope to take good care of it.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

You need just a few ingredients to make this addictive murukku:

• chickpea flour - I buy besan or senagapindi from Indian grocery.
• rice flour - I use store bought rice flour. Either regular white or brown rice flour will work.
• Either brown or black sesame seeds
• Flavoring - red chili powder, cumin powder and salt
• ghee - can be substituted with unsalted butter or hot oil
• Oil for deep frying
• Janthikalu maker or gottam - you can also use a cookie press with round holes - like the one shown in the photo below.

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

This senagapindi janthikalu recipe is very quick and easy to make.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine chickpea and rice flour, sesame seeds, red chili powder, ground cumin powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine. Add the ghee or unsalted butter or hot oil and rub into the flour mixture with your fingers.

Add just enough water to make a thick pliable batter. Make sure that the batter is not too watery or too thick.

Using a spoon, fill the mold with the dough. Make sure to keep the rest of the dough covered to avoid drying out. Heat oil in a medium wok or pan on medium high heat.

Once the oil is hot, press the mold over the hot oil and make concentric circles, so that the batter drops in the oil in circular coils. Fry till janthikalu turn golden brown. Gently flip it over and fry uniformly on both sides.

Remove with a slotted spoon on to a paper lined plate to remove any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let cool and you can store in an air-tight container for up to 10 days.

Expert Tips

• You can use either regular white rice or brown rice flour.
• Adding ghee adds nice crispness to the janthikalu. Unsalted butter or hot oil can also be used.
• Make sure to take time to rub the flour with ghee to ensure the best texture for the murukku.
• Oil for deep frying should be well heated to make sure that the chakli are cooked evenly crispy. Keep the flame on medium flame to medium-high flame.
• When the murukku are ready, bubbles in the oil will get smaller and they are ready to take out.
• Make sure to keep the dough covered to avoid drying out.
• Store the cooled janthikalu in an airtight container to prevent them from becoming soggy.
• These can be stored for up to 7~10 days. Make sure to keep the lid on and use dry hands when serving.

You might also like

Here are few more South Indian recipes that you might like:

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

Janthikalu

This is a crunchy and addictive Andhra snack that are easy to make at home. This besan and rice flour murukku are perfect for tea time.

Author: Pavani

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: andhra

Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 2 cups Rice flour
• 1 cup Chickpea flour (Besan)
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 2 tablespoons Ghee or hot oil
• To taste Salt
• 1~1½ cups Water, or more as needed
• As needed Oil, for deep frying

Instructions

• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine chickpea and rice flour, sesame seeds, red chili powder, ground cumin powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine. Add the ghee or hot oil and rub into the flour mixture with your fingers.
• Add just enough water to make a thick pliable dough. Using a spoon, fill the mold with about 2~3 tablespoons of dough. Make sure to keep the rest of the dough covered to avoid drying out. Heat oil in a medium wok or pan on medium high heat.
• Once the oil is hot, press the mold over the hot oil and make concentric circles, so that the batter drops in the oil in circular coils. Fry till janthikalu turn golden brown. Gently flip it over and fry uniformly on both sides.
• Remove with a slotted spoon on to a paper lined plate to remove any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let them cool completely before you store in an air-tight container for up to 10 days.

Video

Notes

• You can use either regular white rice or brown rice flour.
• Adding ghee adds nice crispness to the janthikalu. Unsalted butter or hot oil can also be used.
• Make sure to take time to rub the flour with ghee to ensure the best texture for the murukku.
• Oil for deep frying should be well heated to make sure that the chakli are cooked evenly crispy. Keep the flame on medium flame to medium-high flame.
• When the murukku are ready, bubbles in the oil will get smaller and they are ready to take out.
• Make sure to keep the dough covered to avoid drying out.
• Store the cooled janthikalu in an airtight container to prevent them from becoming soggy.
• Murukku can be stored for up to 7~10 days. Make sure to keep the lid on and use dry hands when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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