Mangupullu

Crispy Deep-fried Savoury Rings

VegetarianOrigin Andhra Pradesh/Tamil NaduPrep 10 minutesCook 20 minutes

These crunchy South Indian savoury coils are made from ground rice and lentils scented with cumin and sesame. They possess a brittle, crisp snap and a rich, nutty finish.

Whole seeds for the dough

2.1 gStirred into the flour mixture (step 2)

Cumin seed · Jeera

2.1 g1 teaspoon

spice

Leave whole to knead straight into the dough.

Everything else

Split mung beans · Moong Dalrinsed and dried

100 g

legume

Basmati rice · Basmati Chawalrinsed and drained

200 g

grain

Gram flour · Besan

75 g

flour

Sesame seed · Til

3 g1 teaspoon

nut/seed

Ghee

13 g1 tablespoon

oil/fat

Vegetable oil · Telfor frying

to taste

oil/fat

Salt · Namak

to taste

salt

Method

Grind 100 g moong dal and 200 g basmati rice in a high-speed blender or mill until reduced to a fine flour.
Tip the milled grains into a bowl along with 75 g gram flour, the whole seeds for the dough, 13.2 g ghee, and salt to taste. Pour in water a little at a time while kneading, working it into a dense, non-sticky dough.
Transfer the mixture into a murukku press or a heavy-duty piping bag.
Pour enough vegetable oil for deep-frying into a kadhai or heavy pot, heating it to 180°C (350°F).
Press the dough directly over the fat in concentric coils, cooking in small batches. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until firm, crisp, and lightly coloured.
Lift out each batch with a perforated spoon to drain on paper towels. Bring to room temperature before packing into an airtight container.

Don't have something?

Moong dal

Red lentils
Use equal weight. It cooks in about the same time and breaks down to a similar soft, creamy consistency, though the colour will be slightly pinkish-orange.
Pigeon peas
Use equal weight. Requires longer soaking and cooking time, and produces a slightly earthier, denser dal.

Basmati rice

Plain boiled rice
Use 2.5 times the weight if substituting pre-cooked rice. Fold in gently at the end of the recipe; grains will be shorter and less fragrant.

Gram flour

Chickpea flour
Use the same weight. Gram flour is chickpea flour, so this is an exact swap with the same nutty flavour and binding.
Plain flour
Use about 75–80% of the weight, e.g. 80 g for 100 g gram flour, and add a pinch of turmeric for colour. Less nutty and less crisp; good only for thickening or simple batters.
Rice flour
Use the same weight for crispness, but it does not bind like gram flour; mix with a little plain flour if making pakora batter.

Sesame seed

White sesame seed
Use the same weight. Toast lightly before use; white seeds are milder and give a cleaner look.
Black sesame seed
Use the same weight. They are stronger and more bitter; toast briefly and use slightly less if the dish is delicate.
Peanut
Use the same weight, crushed or chopped. It gives crunch but not the same nutty sesame aroma.

Cumin seed

Ground cumin
Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.
Black cumin seeds
Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.
Fennel seed
Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Ghee

Unsalted butter
Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.
Vegetable oil
Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.
Mustard oil
Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Vegetable oil

Peanut oil
Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.
Ghee
Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.
Mustard oil
Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Similar dishes

Khilwan Khichari

Dry Khichari

Khilwan Khichari tastes soft, heavily buttery, and warmly spiced rather than crisp, nutty, and fried.

Same: Khilwan Khichari shares a base of basmati rice, moong dal, cumin seeds, and ghee with this dish.
Different: Instead of being ground into a dough and deep-fried in vegetable oil, it is cooked whole with bay leaf, cloves, black peppercorns, and far more ghee, omitting the sesame seeds.

Jangir

Syrup-soaked Pretzels

Jangir is sweet, glossy and rosewater-saffron scented and served chilled, while this dish is crisp, savoury and nutty with cumin and sesame.

Same: Jangir and this dish both use basmati rice and a lentil base and are deep-fried in vegetable oil.
Different: Jangir uses urad dal and sugar with saffron, rosewater and milk, while this dish uses moong dal, gram flour, cumin, sesame, ghee and salt and has no syrup.

Paper Dosa

Crisp Wafer-thin Pancakes

Paper Dosa tastes tangy from fermentation and shatteringly crisp, while this dish tastes nutty from sesame and cumin with a brittle fried snap.

Same: Paper Dosa shares with this dish a South Indian savoury identity built on rice and lentils, salt, and a crisp texture.
Different: Paper Dosa uses urad dal and fenugreek in a fermented batter cooked as a thin griddle crepe, while this dish uses moong dal, gram flour, sesame, cumin, and ghee in a deep-fried ring dough.

Pesaru Punukulu

Green Lentil Fritters

Pesaru Punukulu is significantly spicier and fresh-tasting from the green chillies and herbs, whereas this dish tastes milder and nuttier from cumin, sesame, and ghee.

Same: Pesaru Punukulu is also a deep-fried South Indian rice-based snack cooked in vegetable oil.
Different: Pesaru Punukulu is shaped as small fritters flavored with green chillies, curry leaves, and coriander leaf, omitting the cumin, sesame seeds, moong dal, and ghee used in this dish.