Churumuri is popular street food in the state of Karnataka. I have not personally eaten the puffed rice snack in Karnataka, but have eaten this numerous times in beaches in Tamil Nadu. Last year during out trip to India, we had a chance to eat this masala pori in the beach. The spicy chili powder in combination with the tangy lime juice tastes unbelievably good. One other favorite snack to eat in the beach is this Masala Peanuts. This churumuri is a perfect after school snack for kids. It keeps them filled up well until dinner. This is also a very quick to make recipe. Once we have the vegetables chopped, all we have to do is mix them all together and serve. If you are looking for a low calorie snack, this is definitely a great option. I see this as the South Indian Bhel Puri, except this has no chutney or sauce in the mixture. Also, I had a great time making cones for my boys to enjoy the masala pori as they serve it in India. I used parchment paper to make the cones and it held very well.
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. Puffed Rice - We need a good quality and fresh puffed rice also known as Pori in Tamil. It is also sold by the name Murmure in the Indian stores. If you don’t have plain pori, you could always use the Bhel mix that we use to make bhel puri. I always have a bag of bhel mix in the pantry and that works perfectly well in the recipe. Vegetables - I used onions, carrot, tomato and cilantro in my churumuri recipe. If raw mango is in season, we can add some to the mixture. Lime Juice - This masala pori needs a good drizzle of lime juice. I personally prefer the flavor of lime instead of lemon, but you could absolutely use lemon juice as well . Coconut oil - I do a quick frying of the pori in coconut oil. My cousin mentioned that coconut oil is what they use in Karnataka and it imparts a beautiful coconut flavor to the churumuri. Peanuts - I used roasted peanuts in the recipe. I also like to crush my peanuts lightly so they don’t remain whole. Spices - I use red chili, turmeric powder, salt and a little sugar in the masala pori.
Step by step process
Chop all the vegetables and keep them ready. Lightly crush the peanuts (optional) and keep it aside.
In a wide pan, heat the coconut oil and add the puffed rice. Roast it in low to medium flame for just a couple of minutes to crisp it up and also to coat the pori with the coconut oil.
Remove the roasted puffed rice in a bowl and let it cool down for couple of minutes.
Now add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar to the pori and mix well. I find tossing the mixture in the bowl works well to evenly coat the pori.
Now add the rest of the ingredients to the puffed rice and mix it all well. Add the lime juice in the end.
Serve immediately.
Expert tips
Use fresh pori to make the churumuri. Stale puffed rice can ruin the flavor of the whole churumuri. Use as little or as much of vegetables you like. Raw mangoes, cucumber and green chilies are some other vegetables that you could add. Removing the seeds and pulp from the tomato helps in keeping the churumuri on the dry side. I hate it when the tomato lets too much liquid. Serve the Masala pori right after you mix everything together. I personally though like the soggy pori as well.
More similar snacks
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