Puffed Rice

Puffed rice is made by heating parboiled rice, traditionally in hot sand, until the moisture inside turns to steam and the grain swells. It weighs almost nothing and has a clean, toasty flavour. Mumbai uses it for bhel puri with tamarind chutney and sev, Kolkata for jhal muri with mustard oil and green chilli, and Tamil homes roll it with jaggery into pori urundai for Karthigai Deepam.

Not all puffed rice is the same. Basmati mumra has long, airy grains that suit a light bhel; bhel mumra is a little denser and stays crisp longer under chutney; muri is small and crunchy, the one Bengali cooks want. Puffed rice also goes into chivda, chikki style bars with jaggery, and a quick savoury snack tossed with oil, turmeric and peanuts.

Puffed rice turns chewy once it takes in moisture from the air, so tip leftovers into a jar straight away. To revive a soft batch, toss it in a dry wok over low heat for two minutes. Make bhel at the last moment, just before serving. For a heartier breakfast grain, try poha from the same poha and puffed rice category.