Puffed rice with mustard oil, potato and spice — the quick Assamese street snack
Ingredients
- 3 cups puffed rice (muri)
- 1 small potato boiled and diced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 1 tsp mustard oil
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- Salt
- Fresh coriander
- Squeeze of lemon
Method
About Aloo Muri: Aloo Muri is the instant Assamese street snack — puffed rice tossed with diced potato, mustard oil and lemon, ready in 5 minutes. It is the perfect quick breakfast, evening snack or after-school treat. The trick to good aloo muri is keeping the puffed rice crisp, which means assembling everything just before eating.
Choose the right puffed rice: Use plain puffed rice (muri or murmura), which you can find at any Indian grocer. The grains should be light, dry and crunch loudly when squeezed. Puffed rice that has gone soft from humidity will produce a soggy snack, not a crispy one.
Revive soft puffed rice if needed: If your puffed rice has gone slightly soft, spread it on a baking tray and warm in a 150C oven for 3-4 minutes — or dry-roast in a wide pan over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool fully before using.
Boil the potato: Take 1 small potato. Wash thoroughly. Place in a small saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes until a fork goes through the centre with no resistance.
Cool and dice the potato: Drain the boiled potato. Let it cool for 5 minutes — handling it too hot will make it crumble. Peel off the skin (it will slip off easily after boiling). Dice into 5mm cubes. Small dice means each spoonful gets potato.
Prepare the onion: Take 1 small onion. Peel and chop into very fine dice — pieces no larger than 5mm. Larger pieces will overpower the snack.
Prepare the green chilli: Take 1 fresh green chilli. Remove the stem. Slice into thin rounds. Remove the seeds first if you prefer milder heat.
Chop the coriander: Take a small handful of fresh coriander leaves. Wash, shake dry and chop finely with the tender stems.
Get the mustard oil ready: Measure 1 tsp raw mustard oil into a small bowl. Some Assamese cooks use it raw; others prefer to first heat it briefly to mellow the pungency. For raw mustard oil, just measure and set aside. To mellow it, heat 1 tsp in a small pan until it just begins to smoke (about 30 seconds), then cool completely before using.
Use a wide bowl: Take a wide mixing bowl rather than a tall one. A wide bowl lets you toss the muri without crushing the delicate grains.
Layer the bowl: Place 3 cups of puffed rice in the bowl. Add the diced boiled potato, chopped onion, green chilli rounds and chopped coriander on top.
Add the seasonings: Sprinkle 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and salt to taste — start with 1/2 tsp salt, more can be added at the end. Drizzle the mustard oil evenly over the top. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over everything.
Toss carefully and serve immediately: Use two large spoons or your clean hands. Lift from the bottom and turn over gently — do not stir round and round, which crushes the puffed rice. Toss just 4-5 times, until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt or lemon. Serve immediately in bowls — within 5 minutes of tossing the puffed rice will start to soften, losing the crucial crispness that makes the snack work. Pair with a cup of hot tea.