Mahanandi

Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Borugula (Murmura) laddu (Homemade Rice-Jaggery Crispy Sweet from India)


Golden Borugula Laddu under Evening Sunlight

How can one convey nostalgia? I am no wordsmith and sometimes words escape me, so I try it with my camera lens.

A nourishing and delightfully scented, not so sweet but fun kind of treat from my childhood days is murmura laddu. Also known as borugula mudda in Telugu and rice crispies in English.

During December and January months (Sankranthi time), when parents are busy with harvesting rice and sugarcane, grand parents prepare these crunchy, homely sweets for children with freshly popped murmura from rice battis and just minted 24 karat quality jaggery. Jaggery syrup is prepared and murmura are added – just these two ingredients and tiny touch of cardamom – that’s it. Magical, irresistible laddus would be ready to keep us children (mouths) busy.

I am happy that I am finally able to recreate this Sankranthi magic on Mahanandi. Though recipe looks simple, I know how difficult it is to prepare these kinds of sweets, so I measured and timed the process to make it fail proof and for decent results. Give it a try.


Preparing Jaggery Syrup for Murmura laddus

Recipe:

Murmura (borugulu, puffed rice)one quart
Jaggeryone cup (powdered)
Water – one cup
Cardamom – 2 (seeds powdered)
To test jaggery syrup readiness – Keep a small plate with cold water ready by stove side.

In a big, sturdy, thick-bottomed vessel, add water and jaggery. Cook on medium-high heat. Jaggery melts and begins to concentrate. When it starts foaming like shown in the photo above, it reached the consistency we want for this recipe. To test, add few drops of jaggery syrup to the cold water. When pushed with fingers, if the syrup can be rolled to a round and keeps share without melting in spite of tilting the plate to different directions, it is done and the syrup is ready. This whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Constantly stirring, add murmura. Also sprinkle in cardamom powder. Within one or two minutes, murmura starts to soak up the syrup and comes together in to dry mass. Turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stovetop to countertop.

Wait for about 5 minutes for murmura-jaggery mixture to cool down and then start making laddus. Take a spoonful of mixture into hands and press gently into round shape. Keep a bowl of cold water on the side. Dip your hands in-between laddu making to keep hands unsticky and cool. Or ladle off the whole mixture into a greased pan. Press firmly and evenly. Cut into squares and let it cool. Break along the lines to separate the pieces.

Makes about 12 medium sized laddus or squares.


Hot Murmura-Jaggery Mixture and Making of Laddus


Murmura (borugulu, puffed rice) laddus and squares
Fun Jaggery-Rice Crispy Treats From India for Kay’s JFI

Kitchen Notes:
1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups = 32 fluid ounces =.95 liter
Murmura and Jaggery are available at local Indian grocery shops.
Prepare this sweet with fresh, crunchy tasting murmura only, for best results.
One more recipe for murmura laddu – from Cooking Medley

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Biyyamu (Rice),Indian Sweets 101,Jaggery,Mitai,Murmura (Borugulu) (Thursday November 30, 2006 at 10:05 pm- permalink)
Comments (55)

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55 comments for Borugula (Murmura) laddu (Homemade Rice-Jaggery Crispy Sweet from India) »

  1. indira,
    yummy yummy!
    karthika

    Comment by karthika — November 30, 2006 @ 10:12 pm

  2. lovely pics indira.I remember when we used to buy the same from a small shop at our school for 10 paise each. Thanks for the recipe and for reminding me of those sweet golden days 🙂

    Comment by sowjanya — November 30, 2006 @ 10:56 pm

  3. Hi Indira,
    Excellent pic!!!!

    Comment by MenuToday — November 30, 2006 @ 11:03 pm

  4. I remember my mom-in-law telling me that adding sonti podi to these laddoos makes them even better! 🙂

    I am usually afraid of bellam paakam, that is the reason I never try such things at home. Looking at your pics makes we want to try it out.

    – Keerthi

    Comment by Keerthi — November 30, 2006 @ 11:05 pm

  5. Hi Indira,I love these laddoos.My ammamma used to make these with a little black pepper powder too.Tastes very good.The photos are very good.

    Comment by Vini K — November 30, 2006 @ 11:35 pm

  6. Indira,

    nostalgia.

    aint it the best thing in the world? 🙂 It is pure nostalgia that made me participate in ts JFI: Jaggery too. shameless plug 😉 : http://mathy.kandasamy.net/blog/2006/12/94

    Reg the laddus. My hands are itching just to grab one or two from the screen. 🙂 I tasted this for the first time in Chennai and keep telling my nephew (who, btw loves rice and wheat in anyform) about these crispy laddus. I will make them for the christmas day dinner and surprise him. Thankyou for the recipe Indira.

    Comment by Mathy Kandasamy — November 30, 2006 @ 11:45 pm

  7. Grandparents/parents loving their kids is universal, it must reveal in food also! My grandma had the exact sweet treat to us (rice is different)!!!
    Indira, don’t worry about replying my question on time or not… I understand so much work around you. And I’ll look for small eggplants at asian store. Thank you!

    Comment by gattina — December 1, 2006 @ 1:51 am

  8. Yes, reminds me of school-days too!
    The pictures are magical too – I thought the murmure kissed with the jaggery syrup are looking pearl-ly?? Jewels!

    Comment by Anita — December 1, 2006 @ 2:44 am

  9. I don’t believe you are making this stuff sitting there in the US, Indira. I mean, people back here in India too don’t remember these easily. Great!

    Comment by Vaishali — December 1, 2006 @ 3:06 am

  10. Wow!
    I wonder..is there anything Indian that you don’t get in US?

    Comment by Tweety — December 1, 2006 @ 3:10 am

  11. this recipe brings back fond memories, Indira. This Sunday we celebrate Karthikai Deepam and ‘Pori Urundai’ is the most important naivedhyam. My mom makes with both the puffed rice you’ve mentioned and the other variety we call ‘nel pori’… i think this one is prepared with the whole rice grain and then the husk is removed… the taste is a bit different from puffed rice. we also add sukku powder (dried ginger) and chopped coconuts fried a bit in ghee…. mmmm how much i miss home! latha

    Comment by Latha — December 1, 2006 @ 3:49 am

  12. my all time fav. borugulu mudda, chinna nati gynapakalu gurtu ki vastunayi Indira.

    Comment by lakshmi — December 1, 2006 @ 5:18 am

  13. I want to grab the ‘urundai’ in the first pic ! How wonderful !

    Comment by Krithika — December 1, 2006 @ 5:59 am

  14. I love these ladoos but never made them…
    The first laddoo pic really speaks thousand words.

    Comment by sandeepa — December 1, 2006 @ 6:10 am

  15. Thanks for the recipe Indira. I have been thinking of making this crunchy sweet since a few days. Earlier I thought I would experiment with it but now with your recipe, I should be able to make it to perfection.

    Comment by Sreekanti — December 1, 2006 @ 6:40 am

  16. So yum!I wish i could i could grab a few laddus from the screen!!! It is such a delicious recipe. The laddus look so golden in color,Indira! Great capture from the camera. You have lots of opika to do everything at home.Be it pacchadis or jams or sweets. Looks great!

    Comment by Deepu — December 1, 2006 @ 7:22 am

  17. Excellent timing for Karthigai- karthika pournamai as per tamil calender that falls on dec 3rd in the US. All my friend’s moms used to make it in chennai, and you have brought back fond memories…

    Comment by Nalini — December 1, 2006 @ 7:43 am

  18. You have surely passed on the nostalgia through the camera lens Indira !! I missed eating this after coming here.Only recently did I discover the Rice Crispies at Starbucks and all my frnds here in the University and me are hooked to it now !! I am a lil scared to try it out at home though :-S, but another look at your photos and am sure I will make them 🙂
    But I soo wish I lived close to your place, its kinda boring to make these delights yourself to enjoy them !!

    Comment by Priya — December 1, 2006 @ 7:48 am

  19. WOW ! I made this yesterday for this event and also as naivedyam for Karthigai Deepam which is on Dec 3rd.

    We make with Nel pori(The ones that are milk white in color and spongy), jaggery, chopped coconut and sometimes add peanuts too.

    Your borugula ladoos looks gorgeous golden !

    Comment by Priya S&S — December 1, 2006 @ 8:08 am

  20. You seem to be a real professional at cooking.

    Comment by parvathi — December 1, 2006 @ 8:22 am

  21. Very nice pictures, the lighting is beautiful.

    Comment by krista — December 1, 2006 @ 8:34 am

  22. Spectacular, warm, nostalgic, sweet, traditional, delish, breath-taking, …, …., …, lovely, wicked and just plain great.

    Cheers,
    Mythili

    Comment by Mythili — December 1, 2006 @ 8:53 am

  23. Oh, this is a speciality in our house for tulasi puja (the twelfth day after Diwali)! My MIL made it this year, and I was going to blog about it…but time is short these days…:(
    Anyway, love how you showed the versatility of jaggery with your three different recipes – to sweeten(marmalade), to provide a contrasting taste (in the chutney), and to bind (in the laadoo)! Excellent!

    Comment by @ — December 1, 2006 @ 9:00 am

  24. Hi Indira,

    This brought back fond memories of home. My Ma would make this – especially when I returned home. Thanks so much for the recipe and the delightful pix.

    Comment by Sangeeta — December 1, 2006 @ 10:23 am

  25. Indira, you are awesome! Just one look at the picture of the ladoo and I had countless memories of childhood running through my head! Why just childhood, this is a sweet dish that is prepared even for weddings in my family; really large puffed rice rounds, adorned with roasted peanuts and roasted gram. With our without those, these are simply heavenly! They are so simple and unassuming, yet so delightful! Thank you for bringing back those memories 🙂
    – Roopa

    Comment by RD — December 1, 2006 @ 10:26 am

  26. As always, I was sure that you would come up with unusual treats with jaggery. I liked all the jaggery recipes. Do you know how to make peanut brittle with jaggery? In kerala, we get yummy peanut brittles, and I think jaggery is what they use. Am not sure though.

    Comment by RP — December 1, 2006 @ 10:39 am

  27. Hi indira

    looking nice………murmura laddoo….

    Comment by swapna — December 1, 2006 @ 10:51 am

  28. I remember Indira:) Huge palm sized Puri Unde` , my grandmother used to make! Thanks.

    Comment by Asha — December 1, 2006 @ 11:03 am

  29. Pictures are amazing Indira – definetely making me both hungry and homesick.

    Comment by Anu — December 1, 2006 @ 11:24 am

  30. Wow! I used to love theseeee a lot. We called them muri laddu. I want some of these tooo:(

    Comment by Nisha — December 1, 2006 @ 11:43 am

  31. Lovely pictures Indira.As soujanya said,even I used to buy these(dont remember how much they used to cost)from a small shop near my house..Even my mum used to make these at home.oh i miss those days.we call it muri ka laddu.once again,lovely pics..I have a whole box of rice crispies lying in my pantry but i dont eat them,somehow I dont get the taste of muri laddu when I eat rice crispies..I guess thats the magic of indian cooking.

    Comment by Deepa kiran — December 1, 2006 @ 12:32 pm

  32. Hi Indira,

    This sweet we get it from one of the grocery stores in sunnyvale.Your cooking Procedure is very similar to peanut ladoo right.I like this ladoo very much but the rest of my family especially my H never liked this.Pictures are great as usual.

    laxmi.

    Comment by laxmi — December 1, 2006 @ 1:26 pm

  33. Wow Indira,

    The first pic is just unbelievable. Golden barygula laddu under evening sunlight! What an Amazing pic. It takes me back to my school days, my mom used to make very often.

    Its been a while i made these, its too tempting. Prob will try this weekend!
    Madhavi.

    Comment by Madhavi — December 1, 2006 @ 1:37 pm

  34. I just thought about these nostalgically last night as we traditionally make this for Karthigai Deepam (Karthik poornima) in Tamil Nadu which falls around this time of the year. I looooove this sweet and could never really shape them into balls. But, still used to eat them crumbled!
    The Tamilian version contains coconut bits too. I hope you realize that your efforts inspire too many people, a lot of them lurkers like me.

    Comment by ash — December 1, 2006 @ 1:57 pm

  35. Many thanks all for your wonderful comments! Because of house guests, Iam not able to spend much time on the Web. But I will definitely make time to see your jaggery-jihva creations.
    Have a great weekend!

    Comment by Indira — December 1, 2006 @ 7:29 pm

  36. Hi Indira,

    Was it a coincidence?? For us, the karthigai deepam is tomorrow and here, you have given the treat already?

    Anyhow, have a couple of doubts and if you help me before tomorrow, really appreciate that. Have mentioned one quart and since dont have pyrex glass with me, can u tell me in cups or grams??

    And, finally, abt syrup, is it a soft ball stage-just reconfirming??

    Thanks a lot and Bye.

    Comment by Rama — December 2, 2006 @ 2:17 am

  37. Just now noticed Indira abt the measurement. 1 quart is 4 cups..Sorry for the trouble.

    Pls do answer me for my last question alone.

    Bye.

    Hi Rama:
    Jaggery syrup has to reach the softball stage. Constantly check the syrup for readiness and do not cook it for longer. Otherwise, it will harden and mixing murmura will become difficult.
    Happy cooking! Do let me know how it turns out.

    Comment by Rama — December 2, 2006 @ 10:55 am

  38. Success, Indira!!! Yes, just now tried out with a cup of pori and the taste was so good and it looks so shiny which never got.

    Anyhow, am so so glad that made it becoz of you. Simply superb, Indira..

    Rgds.

    Big Yay for you :). Glad to hear about your success!
    —Indira

    Comment by Rama — December 2, 2006 @ 1:09 pm

  39. Hi,

    Very yummy ….thank you very much for delicious recipe.

    Thanks,
    Siri.

    Comment by Siri — December 5, 2006 @ 2:00 pm

  40. This is very common recipe, why not try some variation! Yesterday I made a healthier version of it. Instead of maramaralu, you substitue it with cheerios and my kids liked it. A good evening snack.

    Comment by Gayatri — March 16, 2007 @ 12:51 pm

  41. Hi Indira, I have followed the exact procedure including the time. They came out very well. My toddler kids are excited and they enjoyed the murmura laddulu very much. Thank You again!

    Indira replies:
    Hi Niru, glad to hear that you and your family tried and liked this recipe. I also read your comment on walnut burfi. Thanks for letting me know.
    Happy cooking!

    Comment by Niru — April 5, 2007 @ 12:46 pm

  42. Indira, Thanks again for this wonderful dish. I made this for Ganesh Chathurthi and it came out so very good. Love your blog and not a single recipe that i have tried from your blog has gone wrong till date. Hope you and your family had a lovely Chathurthi celebration. Thanks again for the recipe.

    Comment by seema — September 18, 2007 @ 10:58 am

  43. it is very easy to make. thanks for sharing with us.

    Comment by garima mathur — October 24, 2007 @ 12:44 am

  44. I tried this recipe for kaarthigai. I followed the instructions but couldnt shape them into balls. what do you think is the issue ?

    Comment by suja — November 24, 2007 @ 6:32 pm

  45. I have tried this recipie and it came out well thanks for such nice recipies

    Comment by Anuradha — December 1, 2007 @ 7:41 pm

  46. i like this snack very much,i tried this,but i was flop,:(

    Comment by satya — January 10, 2008 @ 1:33 pm

  47. Wow! wonderful

    Comment by swathi — January 19, 2008 @ 12:40 pm

  48. Hi..
    My Mom makes it very tasty. When I saw the receipe i just remembered her. Very well discribed…thanx a lot.

    Comment by Roopa — February 3, 2008 @ 9:13 pm

  49. Hi,

    I tried this recipe today. it came out really well and everyone liked it lot.

    thanks
    vani.

    Hi Vani,
    Good to know that you tried and liked this recipe. Thanks for taking time to let me know.
    -Indira

    Comment by vani — February 28, 2008 @ 1:31 pm

  50. Really superb and easy. I am just going to try it out today.

    Comment by Harika — April 9, 2008 @ 1:33 am

  51. Hi Indira:

    I have tried murmura ladoo and it has turned out AWESOME!

    Thanks for the recipe. I have also made mysore pak with your help. That too is YUM YUM!!!

    Never thought even I could make sweets.

    Thanks again
    Sarada

    Comment by sarada — October 18, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

  52. Made them for the first time and bingo! they came out pretty cool, glistening tiny globes :). One thing I did differently, instead of using water to keep hands from getting sticky when making the laddus, I smeared my palms with oil.
    Cheers!!!

    Comment by Neera — May 10, 2009 @ 9:46 am

  53. Your photograph reminded me of my childhood days. My mother used to make big tin full of these laddus during winters, and it was our favorite snack anytime. In Bengali we call it “Murir Moa” [Muri=Murmura]

    Thank you for sharing the wonderful photograph and the recipe. Perhaps I should try this out some day!!

    Comment by Mahasweta — August 7, 2009 @ 1:28 am

  54. I tried this today and it came out really well. I could only make 3 ladoos and the mixture stopped sticking together later on. But taste turned out yummy yummy.

    Tnx Indira.

    Comment by Kavitha — November 26, 2009 @ 12:48 pm

  55. Wow..nice information

    Comment by website designer in Jaipur — March 9, 2018 @ 3:18 pm

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