Kaara Pori/Murmura Chivda/Spicy Puffed Rice

The life in India has changed very much. People have moved away from houses and into apartments and the modernization of Indian life has resulted in losing some of the charms that are so unique to India. For instance, when I was a kid, there used to be so many street vendors that sold goods in our neighborhood. They would call out the goods they were selling in a singsong voice which was so unique to the vendor itself. There was everything from vegetables, greens, fish in the morning, to beautifully stringed flowers and snack items in the evening time.

One such street snack I couldn't resist was 'roasted peanuts'. The vendor would have a cart with a portable stove and would fry peanuts on the go in an iron wok. He would announce his coming with a unique ringing of his spatula on the wok, making a ding ding sound. The peanuts were sold for 25 paisa(a quarter of a rupee) and served in a cone made out of old newspapers.

The roasted peanut cart also had one more favorite of mine, which is spicy puffed rice. As with many other of my favorites, my mom would make this for me at home, and I like her version even better than the street vendor's. Here is the delicious recipe from my mom.

Heat the coconut oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Next add the smashed garlic, broken red chillies. Put the heat on low so that the oil is infused with the garlic and chillies. Add the peanuts and roast it over low flame. Add the fried gram dal, curry leaves and toast for another minute. Add the turmeric powder and red chilly powder if using(omit if making for small kids) and salt. Finally add the puffed rice. Toss to combine over low heat. Let cool and store in an airtight container. This stays good for up to two weeks.

Verdict: The kaara pori is not only an easy snack to offer to both kids and adults, but is a healthy and nutritious option compared to deep fried snacks such as mixture. The coconut oil infused with garlic is the highlight of this recipe, so don't skip it. I've made this recipe twice before I got to post it. First time, couldn't resist and forgot to click pictures. :)