Chakli/Muruku/ Crunchy Lentil Snack

Chakli or muruku, as it is commonly known in India, is a spicy crunchy lentil snack. It can be made the easy and the hard way, of course the hard way reaps the best results. 

What you need: Makes 25-30 chaklis
Chakli/murukku press. You could try a cookie tube press too.
2-3 cups of Oil to fry (vegatable/canola oil)

The hard way:
3 cups akki hittu/Rice flour
1 cup yellow hesar bele/yellow moong dhal
1 cup uddina bele/ white urad dhal
1 cup kadale poppu/ soft puffed channa dhal
1 Tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 Tbsp yellu/white sesame seeds
2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp hing/asafoedita
1 Tbsp hot oil
1 and 1/2 to 2 cups warm water
Salt to taste
 
The easy way:
3 cups akki hittu/Rice flour
1 cup kadale hittu/Besan flour
1 cup urad dhal flour
1 Tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 Tbsp yellu/white sesame seeds
2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp hing/asafoedita
1 Tbsp warm melted butter
1 and 1/2 to 2 cups warm water
Salt to taste

Dry roast the rice, and dhals separately until they are aromatic, cool completely and powder them to a fine consistency.

Easy method, start here: Mix all the powders, chili powder, salt, cumin, and sesame seeds together. Pour a Tbsp of sizzling hot oil (If you are doing the easy method, substitute this for melted butter) on the mixture and mix thoroughly. 

Now add warm water little by little and mix into a soft and pliable dough. Roll them out into 3 or 4 sections and shape them into cylinders. Add them into the chakli press. Roll them into desired shape.

Heat about 2-3 cups of oil in a pan to deep fry. When the oil starts to smoke, reduce the heat a bit, and then gently lower the chaklis into the oil. They will sink, and foam at first, then come up to the surface. 

Flip them over to the other side and let cook to a golden brown. Drain the oil and place in a sieve, to drain the excess oil. They may be stored up to two weeks in air tight containers. Enjoy!