kai murukku

[kunjuppu]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

YouTube - Nagercoil special 'Murukku'!

here is a heartwarming report of self employment by a group of women, making kai murukku and selling it to the shops of tamilnadu and kerala.

the reporter lakshmi has done a great job, emphasizing not only on the female employment and the resultant empowerment, but also on the difficult conditions, long hours, the low margins (the middleman always takes the giant cut) etc.

each time,when we buy a packaged murukku from saras, ambika or such, it might be worthwhile to think for a second, about the effort that went behind that package.

 

[sangom]

YouTube - Nagercoil special 'Murukku'!

here is a heartwarming report of self employment by a group of women, making kai murukku and selling it to the shops of tamilnadu and kerala.

the reporter lakshmi has done a great job, emphasizing not only on the female employment and the resultant empowerment, but also on the difficult conditions, long hours, the low margins (the middleman always takes the giant cut) etc.

each time,when we buy a packaged murukku from saras, ambika or such, it might be worthwhile to think for a second, about the effort that went behind that package.

Dear Shri Kunjuppu,

The "kai murukku" shown in the video is the பச்சரிசி (raw rice) murukku. While it is now available thanks to these cottage industry units in KK Dt., there is another - and more tasteful, for me - புழுங்கரிசி (boiled rice) variety which is the mandatory "ceer" murukku for marriages and (was) also for the daily requirements of tabra households in TVM. This is now all but extinct in TVM. There is just one "murukku maami" who is overburdened with orders especially during marriage seasons. There are hardly a few experienced ladies who have the skill to make these. Most of our tabra women - even senior citizens - do not have that skill now. So, for the ordinary variety of 4 or 5 rounds, we have to wait for days on end sometimes.

In Nagercoil and surrounding areas the tabra women (usually those of the previous generation who did not have enough formal education for other jobs) still make these boiled rice murukku. But perhaps the anchor person might not be knowing the difference, etc. Incidentally, I am told she is the daughter of a well-known lawyer here who has a law college of his own.

 

[kunjuppu]

YouTube - Twist Murukku-ABC Machines

YouTube - Murukku Production Line

dear sangom,

in my younger days, i used to try this during my annual visit to grandma. it used to come odd shaped, but somehow appeared to be tastier than other murukkus. i used to like mine half cooked, preferring the chewy flavour, which used to 'disgust' the elders. also, i used to dunk the murukku in coffee/tea, and enjoy the soft flavour

there are two urls above. one is from some company in tamil nadu, which makes twist kai murukku. the other one i suspect is a chinese made mass manufacturing machine. so there is hope yet for kai murukkus, though they will not have the human imperfections such that each is uniquely shaped.

here in toronto, a couple of ladies make a killing selling kai murukkus - packet of 10 for $8 or so, the price varying depending on the festive seasons. one new lady, does not take any orders less than $100. so there is a big opportunity in food business.

as i have stated many a times here, unfortunately, those who start off honest, soon cut on quality, delivery date and above all price. some i feel that within our community, to do 'businesss' is to 'cheat' - and thinking back to my younger days at home, i remeber whenever my parents talked about someone doing business, the conversation always went hand in hand about duping others. maybe i am hallucinating here in my 60s ...

warmest greetings to you.

 

[sangom]

YouTube - Twist Murukku-ABC Machines

YouTube - Murukku Production Line

dear sangom,

in my younger days, i used to try this during my annual visit to grandma. it used to come odd shaped, but somehow appeared to be tastier than other murukkus. i used to like mine half cooked, preferring the chewy flavour, which used to 'disgust' the elders. also, i used to dunk the murukku in coffee/tea, and enjoy the soft flavour

there are two urls above. one is from some company in tamil nadu, which makes twist kai murukku. the other one i suspect is a chinese made mass manufacturing machine. so there is hope yet for kai murukkus, though they will not have the human imperfections such that each is uniquely shaped.

here in toronto, a couple of ladies make a killing selling kai murukkus - packet of 10 for $8 or so, the price varying depending on the festive seasons. one new lady, does not take any orders less than $100. so there is a big opportunity in food business.

as i have stated many a times here, unfortunately, those who start off honest, soon cut on quality, delivery date and above all price. some i feel that within our community, to do 'businesss' is to 'cheat' - and thinking back to my younger days at home, i remeber whenever my parents talked about someone doing business, the conversation always went hand in hand about duping others. maybe i am hallucinating here in my 60s ...

warmest greetings to you.

Shri Kunjuppu,

The second video is, as per tabra terminology here, "muLLu thEnkuzhal" and not muRukku. But in the non-tabra world it also is known as muRukku.

Better than dunking undercooked muRukku in coffee, try putting properly fried puzhukkal arisi muRukku in curd just as we prepare thayirvaDai; I like that taste and now, with teeth only for appearance and not strength, it is what I can safely eat without another series of appointment with the dentist! In case of emegency, we can first dip the muRukku in boiling water for half a minute or so, drain the water and then just dip it in the prepared curd, and consume.

In our country, trade or business or, for that matter, even any service, has generally been looked at with caution, basically because, according to me, dishonesty without (and great religious fervour on the side) has been the common practice. Hence, if a tabra started a business, the first reaction - during the 1950's - used to be நிதி கிடைத்திருக்கும்-அதெ வெளீலெ சொல்லாமெ பிஸினஸ் என்னு சொல்லிக்கறான். (must have unearthed some treasure; in order to bring it out (he) is making this show!

Later the treasure concept gave way to counterfeiting, black-money etc. In future we may even start saying "that fellow had a tiny "spectrum" probably and he is just laundering it this way!".

Anyhow, the notion that all business have an element of cheating is a common notion and - in Indian conditions - truth also.

 

[CLN]

These postings of Mr. Kunjuppu and Mr. Sangom on "kai murukku" are a wonderful mix of nostalgia and humour - as tasty as those unique "kai murukkus" themselves!

 

[siganeswarie]

good website
AND INFORMATION

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Leave murukkus, what about preparing appalams at homes. In villages, women roll appalams gossiping on matters such as marriages, puberty, dowry, dil-sil quarrels etc.

I don't think any one of the present young generation (in their 30s and 20s) have heard of "perandai" generally growing on hedges (I don't know the botanical name, the round ones are considered poisonous though).

Often mothers would curse themselves with the saying "pethathuku vayathila perandaiya vechu kattikanam".

 

[sangom]

Leave murukkus, what about preparing appalams at homes. In villages, women roll appalams gossiping on matters such as marriages, puberty, dowry, dil-sil quarrels etc.

I don't think any one of the present young generation (in their 30s and 20s) have heard of "perandai" generally growing on hedges (I don't know the botanical name, the round ones are considered poisonous though).

Often mothers would curse themselves with the saying "pethathuku vayathila perandaiya vechu kattikanam".

Dear Shri Swami,

Appalam as we knew it in the past has all but disappeared. I understand from usually knowledgeable sources that, with the ruling price for uLundu, there is a mix of tapioca flour or some such cheap alternative in the present day appaLams. But the extent of adulteration can't be much; if it goes beyond the critical level, the appalam will turn dark brown immediately on putting it in boling oil.

The manufacture is also mechanized. Hence there is a definite lowering of taste. In this context I recall an elderly relative of mine who used to urge his wife (and used to be served) idli/dosa in the traditional method, viz., whole black gram, traditional aaTTukkal, the old-fashioned idli-thaTTu (for idli) and home-made miLakaappoDi and oil. He used to say that these are things he cherished!!

 

[kunjuppu]

sangom,

our palakkad folks used to call muLL murukku, muthusaaram. atleast that is what i used to address it as, along with the rest of the family though there is neither muthu nor saaram there.

talking of home made appalams - those who used to live raja annamalaipuram or mandaveli in the 60s, 70s, 80s would have heard of swati appalam.

mrs. swati was a madisar mami, who made thick appalams with wee bit of extra pappada kaaram and some secret formula. it was a home based venture, made fresh daily, and bought fresh with still the dampness retained.

i can close my eyes and imagine those appalams frying in coconut oil (us pattars retained using velichchennai till late 70s).

the lady swati had a single bungalow, paid for and married off all her 6 daughters while still in early teens - all with appalam money. the mama was a clerk in some obscure kutty company and was seldom seen or heard

 

[ambes]

In Kalladaikurchi ,Tirunelveli making applams is a cottage industry

 

[sangom]

sangom,

our palakkad folks used to call muLL murukku, muthusaaram. atleast that is what i used to address it as, along with the rest of the family though there is neither muthu nor saaram there.

talking of home made appalams - those who used to live raja annamalaipuram or mandaveli in the 60s, 70s, 80s would have heard of swati appalam.

mrs. swati was a madisar mami, who made thick appalams with wee bit of extra pappada kaaram and some secret formula. it was a home based venture, made fresh daily, and bought fresh with still the dampness retained.

i can close my eyes and imagine those appalams frying in coconut oil (us pattars retained using velichchennai till late 70s).

the lady swati had a single bungalow, paid for and married off all her 6 daughters while still in early teens - all with appalam money. the mama was a clerk in some obscure kutty company and was seldom seen or heard

Dear Kunjuppu,

pappadkkaaram is not used in our tabra "appalams" and that is what makes it different from the Keralite (malayali) 'pappadam'. In appalam mfr., only uLundu maavu is used for the item but arisimaavu is used in the place of pappadakkaaram to ensure it does not stick to the "appaLaappalakai" and "Kuzhavi" (spreader and rolling pin) . Nowadays i find the smell of eggs in pappadams purchased and so we have to be very choosy about the brand, dt. of mfr., etc. i have not yet been able to find out whether egg is usable.

 

[tbs]

hi kunjuppu sir,
im a palakkad agraharam product..........we get fresh home papadams from " PAPADAKARAN " twice a week in my child hood....very

nice to see counting of papadams with a speed in hand.....he used call my grandma as "AMMAIYARE PAPADAM VANNITTUNDU"...

we give money sometimes in a month.....there is no sadhya without papadams in Palakkad....papdams boiled in velichennai or

coconut oil......papadams heavy demand in palakkad pattars......

regards
tbs