Murir Moa / Sweetened Puffed Rice Laddoos

 Shubho Bijoya!!

After a long time, I was home for Durga Pujo.

Much as I had a wonderful time enjoying the familiar sights, smells and catching up on a lot that I had missed out on the last few years on Pujo,

I was equally disheartened to see huge changes.

The place of my childhood had changed. So have the people.

And the way of life.

To me ... everything.

Tried my best to find some semblance to my childhood ... guess I was wrong to do that.

I was only disappointed.

On the brighter side, I got to meet a lot of friends that I had lost touch with.

And many relatives I hadn't seen for a longish time.

Also, being and adult during Pujo has its advantages.

You can sit at the pujo bari the whole evening with friends, doing nothing but pure adda, 

catching up, comparing dresses and saris, 

laughing at silly bygone jokes or just pure gossiping .... while the evening stretched into late night.

Nobody will rush you ... that it is getting late ... you have to go home.

Or setting out pandal hopping with friends ... or enjoying street food, 

especially phuchka and jhal muri every single evening.

No ... I don't have much to complain on that.

Just wish that our elders did not age so quickly.

 Now I am back, with a heart full of memories and a phone full of new numbers.

I do not get to make too many things for Bijoya ... a time of celebrating the victory of good over evil.

The reason is Diwali ... which is always just round the corner.

It is for Diwali that I make all the goodies.

But this time I could not resist making a few things.

Maybe it is the visit home that made me crave for all things associated with my childhood.

So was very tempted at trying to make the Muri(puffed rice)r Moa. 

Dida always used to make the best murir moas.

While mine turned out perfect in taste, I failed miserably in making them as perfect rounds.

My hand too is partly to blame.

But am not complaining.

Making them is no joke ... so am glad I tried at least once.

Need

Puffed rice - 2 cupfuls

Jaggery  - a little more than 1 cup  ( I used powdered )

Black pepper - 1 tbsp freshly crushed

Coconut - very thinly sliced

Ghee - around 3 tbsp

Water - ½ cup

How to

Heat around 2 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed pan or kadahi.

Stir fry the coconut slices on low heat till they are crisp and brown.

Remove.

Put in the jaggery and the water into the pan and keep boiling till the jaggery is completely dissolved and the water starts to dry up.

Wait till it becomes thickish ... then add the black pepper powder, 

the coconut slices and the puffed rice.

Keep tossing and stirring till everything is coated well.

Remove from heat and wait till it cools down halfway.

Now apply some ghee on your palms and take small scoops of the mixture and press with both hands to make round laddoos.

( Remember ... they will not bind if they are too hot or too cold. )

Cool well before storing.

The coconut gives a different feel and is enjoyable when you get a piece in a bite.
And the black pepper gives a beautiful flavour, especially when combined with jaggery.

These stay well for more than a week in airtight jars. 
If you stay in a place that is humid, throw in a few handfuls of plain muri or puffed rice in the jar along with the moas.
It helps to absorb moisture and to keep them crisp.

Enjoy !