Creative ways to reinvent your puffed rice

We all grew up with it. A bowl of muri with mustard oil, green chillies, and onions: simple, quick, comforting. But who would have thought that this humble puffed rice would one day make its way to fancy restaurant plates?

What was once the star of our street food offerings has now found a new life. Thanks to creative chefs around the world, including Bangladeshi-Australian chef Kishwar Chowdhury, who wowed everyone with her jhalmuri on MasterChef Australia, puffed rice has gone global ever since.

Part of its rising popularity also stems from its health benefits. It is low in calories, gentle on the stomach, and filling without leaving you feeling heavy. Nutritionists love recommending it as a light, low-oil snack option for those watching their diet.

If you are wondering how to enjoy puffed rice beyond the usual, here are three creative recipes to try at home.

Puffed rice kheer

Ingredients:

• 1 cup puffed rice
• ¼ cup jaggery
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• A pinch of dry ginger powder
• A handful of ghee fried coconut pieces and chopped almonds

Method

Grind puffed rice in a mixer into a coarse powder. Mix jaggery with water, stir and filter impurities if any. Heat the jaggery water as it starts boiling, add the puffed rice powder slowly and stir it to avoid lumps.

Add cardamom powder and dry ginger powder, and mix well. Cook it for a minute, and as the kheer thickens, add the thick coconut milk. Give it a mix and then switch off. Serve it with ghee-fried coconut pieces and chopped almonds.

Puffed rice granola bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup puffed rice
• ½ cup quick (or rolled) oats
• ¼ cup roasted almonds (chopped)
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened apple purée

Method

In a large bowl, combine puffed rice, oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and chia seeds. In a separate small bowl, mix peanut butter, maple syrup, and apple purée until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix everything well until evenly coated.

Press the mixture into a lined tray or roll into small balls. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up. Slice into bars and enjoy.

Gur muri laddu

Ingredients:

• 2 cups puffed rice
• ½ cup jaggery
• 1 tbsp water
• Ghee

Method

Heat jaggery and water in a pan on a low flame until it melts and thickens (about 4–5 minutes). Add puffed rice and mix quickly so it is fully coated. Turn off the heat. While warm, grease your hands with ghee and shape into small balls. Let them cool and store in an airtight container.