Manapparai Murukku facts for kids

Manapparai Murukku (மணப்பாறை முறுக்கு) is a super yummy and special kind of snack called murukku. It gets its name from the town of Manapparai, which is in the Tiruchirappalli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The Story of Manapparai Murukku

The word "murukku" comes from the Tamil word for "twisted." This is because of its cool twisted shape! A smart person named Krishna Iyer first started making this snack as a small home business before India became independent.

Later, some people who moved from Usilambatti in Madurai took over the business. From 1951, a person known as MEESAIKARAR @ KASIMAYATHEVAR and his family added special touches. They made the murukku taste just right – not too sweet and not too spicy. This made "MANAPPARAI MURUKKU" super famous!

Even Mahatma Gandhi once visited the Manapparai Railway station. After trying Manapparai Murukku, he loved it so much that he told his friends how tasty it was! It became a perfect snack for traveling in South India.

How Manapparai Murukku is Made

Making this special murukku needs a few simple ingredients. You will need rice flour, cumin seeds, gingelly (sesame seeds), asafetida (a spice), ajwain (also called omam), salt, water, and oil.

First, all the dry ingredients are mixed with the rice flour. Then, water is slowly added. This mixture is kneaded until it becomes a thick dough. Next, a special murukku maker shapes the dough into coils.

These twisted coils are set aside for a couple of minutes. After that, they are fried in hot oil until they are golden and crispy. The fried murukku is then set aside again. To keep it fresh, it should be stored in a container that keeps air out. Sometimes, butter or ghee (a type of clarified butter) is added to make it even richer and tastier!

The Manapparai Murukku Business

Manapparai Murukku is not just sold in Tamil Nadu. It is also sent to other states across India and even to other countries! Many families and small home businesses, along with about 10 bigger companies, make this snack.

In 2010, the government of Tamil Nadu asked for a special tag for Manapparai Murukku. This tag is called a geographical indication (GI) tag. It helps to show that the product comes from a specific place and has special qualities because of that place. This GI tag would help more than 400 families who earn their living by making this delicious snack.