Jhal muri: the spicy puffed rice snack

Jhal muri is a Bengali street snack made of puffed rice tossed with mustard oil, chopped onion, green chilli, a spice mix and lime. It is mixed to order and eaten straight away, usually from a paper cone, while the puffed rice is still crisp.

What is jhal muri?

Jhal muri is a savoury snack from Bengal in which puffed rice is dressed with mustard oil, raw onion, chilli, spices and lime juice. The name is Bengali for spicy (jhal) puffed rice (muri).

It is one of the most popular street snacks in Bangladesh and West Bengal and is sold by vendors who carry a tin or tray of ingredients and mix each portion fresh. Other spellings include jhalmuri, jhal moori and jhaal muri. The dish is dry, light and quick to make.

What goes into jhal muri?

Jhal muri contains puffed rice, mustard oil, onion, green chilli and tomato or cucumber, plus roasted peanuts, a spice blend and lime juice. Recipes vary by vendor and household.

Some vendors add boiled chickpeas, crushed fried snacks called sev or bhujia, grated coconut or tamarind. These are variations rather than a single fixed recipe.

How is jhal muri made?

To make jhal muri, mix chopped onion, chilli and tomato in a large bowl, add the spices and mustard oil, fold in the puffed rice and finish with lime and coriander. The mixing is done quickly and eaten at once.

1. Finely chop one small red onion, one green chilli and one small tomato.
2. Add half a teaspoon of salt, a pinch of chaat masala and a pinch of ground cumin.
3. Drizzle one tablespoon of mustard oil over the mixture and stir.
4. Add about 3 cups of puffed rice and a handful of roasted peanuts.
5. Toss with a spoon until every grain is lightly coated.
6. Squeeze over lime juice, scatter coriander and serve at once.

The quantities are a guide and the amount of chilli and oil is changed to taste. Avoid wet ingredients such as extra tomato juice, which soften the rice.

What does jhal muri taste like?

Jhal muri tastes sharp, salty, hot and sour at once, with a crisp, airy texture. The raw mustard oil adds a pungent bite, the lime brings sourness and the onion and chilli supply crunch and heat.

The puffed rice has almost no flavour of its own, so it acts as a carrier for the dressing. A well made portion has a balance of crunch, juice and heat with no soggy pieces.

How is jhal muri eaten?

Jhal muri is eaten by hand or with a spoon straight from a paper cone or small bowl, as soon as it is mixed. It is a snack for the late afternoon or evening rather than a meal.

In Kolkata and Dhaka it is sold on the street, at parks and at railway stations. In restaurants it is usually served as a starter or small plate. It pairs well with tea and often sits beside fritters and other crisp snacks.

Jhal muri vs bhel puri: what is the difference?

Jhal muri is a Bengali snack dressed with mustard oil and chilli, while bhel puri is a Mumbai chaat with tamarind and mint chutneys, sev and often potato. Both use puffed rice, but their flavour profiles differ.

Where is jhal muri on the Dhoompan menu?

Dhoompan lists Jhal Muri in its snacks section. The menu notes describe it as puffed rice tossed with a masala mix and served with lime.

Dhoompan is a Bangladeshi street food and tandoor restaurant at 47 Trinity Road, Tooting Bec, London. Its snack list also includes Far Far (crisp fried wheat crackers), Chot Poti and What the Fuchka, so jhal muri can be eaten alongside similar Bengali street snacks. A price for Jhal Muri is not recorded in this guide, so check with the restaurant. See the menu page and the hours and location page for more.

What is jhal muri masala?

Jhal muri masala is a ready blended spice mix sold in South Asian shops that gives the snack its savoury, tangy flavour. Brands and recipes differ, but a typical blend has roasted cumin, black salt, dried mango powder or tamarind, chilli and sometimes coriander and fennel.

If you cannot find the blend, a mix of chaat masala, a pinch of ground roasted cumin and a little extra salt gets close. Black salt, also called kala namak, adds a slightly sulphurous savoury note that many vendors rely on, so use a small amount and taste as you go.

What mistakes make jhal muri soggy?

The most common mistake is mixing too early. Puffed rice absorbs moisture quickly, so dressing it long before serving leaves it chewy and limp.

• Mixing ahead of time: combine the muri only at the last minute.
• Wet vegetables: deseed tomato and pat onion dry, or the juice softens the rice.
• Too much oil: one tablespoon of mustard oil is enough for a large bowl, and extra makes the rice greasy.
• Stale muri: open a fresh pack or crisp the old rice in a low oven first.
• Slow serving: serve in small portions rather than leaving a big bowl sitting.

What variations of jhal muri exist?

Jhal muri has many variations, since each vendor and family adds their own touches. Common additions are boiled chickpeas, grated raw mango in season, grated coconut, sev, crushed fried lentils called dal moth, and boiled potato.

Some vendors also add a squeeze of tamarind water for extra sourness. A simple version with only puffed rice, onion, chilli, salt, oil and lime is still a complete jhal muri. In Kolkata it is also a famous snack, and fans on either side of the border debate the right amount of heat, which is a matter of taste.

How do you store puffed rice for jhal muri?

Store plain puffed rice in an airtight container in a cool, dry place so it stays crisp. Humidity softens it quickly, so close the pack tightly after use.

If the muri has gone limp, spread it on a baking tray and warm it in a low oven, about 120 degrees Celsius, for five to ten minutes, then let it cool. Do not dress puffed rice until you are ready to eat.

Common questions

Looking for the basics? Dhoompan address and opening hours are on the home page.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Dhoompan itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.