Puffed Rice: Murmura, Muri and How to Keep the Crunch
Puffed rice is rice that has expanded into light, airy pieces during processing.
Puffed rice is rice that has expanded into light, airy pieces during processing. It is used in snacks such as bhel puri and jhalmuri, where its crisp texture is part of the appeal.
Indian groceries may label it murmura, muri, mamra, pori or mandakki, among other regional names. It is different from flattened rice flakes, or poha, and is not prepared like a bag of uncooked whole rice.
What to buy
Choose plain puffed rice if the recipe expects you to add its own seasoning. A sweetened breakfast cereal or a ready-seasoned snack mix may bring sugar, salt or other ingredients that change the finished dish.
Check the ingredient list rather than relying only on the shape of the pieces. This is especially useful when comparing products from an Indian grocery with those from a breakfast-cereal aisle.
Dry snacks and dressed snacks need different timing
In a spiced dry mixture, puffed rice can be roasted with seasonings and cooled before storage. In a snack containing chutney, tomato or lemon juice, moisture changes the texture much sooner.
For bhel puri, prepare the components first and combine them close to serving. Mixing a dressed snack long before guests arrive gives the rice plenty of time to stop being crisp. It is an efficient ingredient, sometimes in the wrong direction.
Keeping the remaining bag useful
Close the packet well or transfer the dry product to an airtight container, retaining its label and date. Keep the plain dry ingredient separate from prepared mixtures containing moist additions.
If a recipe calls for briefly roasting the puffed rice, follow that recipe's heat and stirring directions. The goal is the intended texture, not browning an ingredient that is already light and easy to scorch.