Nylon Ribbon

Soon after I posted the ribbon pakodas, my sister, my good buddy and worst critic pointed out that they were extremely brown, not golden. i explained to her that I used the rice flour amma had brought from India and she had complained about the mill guy grinding wheat prior to grinding her soaked rice which resulted in anything fried using the flour get an extra dark tinge.

As the conversation carried on, she reminded me of this recipe. I promised her that I will make them asap, and I did, but before I took pictures, the crisp ribbons vanished just like that.

When she asked about it I told her that we both enjoyed them. I left it at that thinking I can do them again exclusively for the blog. Finally I made them this festival season and tried to make it suitable for vegans, replacing the butter by vegetable shortening.

Recipe for about 50 pieces is as follows:

Ingredients:

3 cups soaked, drained and powdered rice flour

1 &1/2 cup gram flour

3/4 cup finely powdered roasted gram (pottukadalai maavu)

10 pieces green chillis

2 inches long piece of ginger

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I used Dalda)

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Seive the three flours together well, twice or thrice.

Grind the ginger and green chillis adding water. Strain this and add some more water. Keep aside.

Mix the salt to the flour, rub the dalda in thoroughly mixing well with the flour. Gradually mix the ground and strained chilli ginger flavours. Knead a smooth dough using more water if necessary.

Heat oil in a kadai and when oil is hot enough, using the murukku achchu fitted with the ribbon plate, press the ribbons directly in the oil. Deep fry till golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted ladle on to an absorbent tissue.

Repeat until all the dough is used up. Allow to cool a bit and transfer to an airtight container until further use.

As the flours are a bit more, it is recommended to divide into portions and mix the dough. Keeping the mixed dough for long will result in the murukkus getting a dark tinge.

I tried it this way for vegans.(There is a guarantee on tin of Dalda that no animal product is used in the manufacturing process) Butter can be used, but you might need more butter than dalda.

I hope you enjoy these crisp nylon ribbons.