Jhal Muri

Spicy, crunchy and highly affordable, Jhal Muri (Puffed Rice Mix) is emblematic of the robust street snacking culture of Bengal. Served in makeshift newspaper cones, Jhal Muri, which literally translates to spicy puffed rice, is a chaotic mixture of different fried nuts, lentils, chopped green chillies, lime juice and roasted peanuts topped off with a drizzle of flavoured mustard oil. Patrons line up in front of Jhal Muri vendors for a quick, light snack, customised to their liking.

While synonymous with Kolkata, Jhal Muri has been on a global domination spree for many years. In India, Jhal Muri is predominantly consumed in the eastern belt—in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. In fact, versions of this muri dish is consumed in Mumbai and Assam as Bhel Puri and in Karnataka as Churumuri.

But the phenomenon spread like wildfire even in the streets of London one-and-a-half decades ago when British chef Angus Denoon first set up his Jhal Muri stall in London. Denoon describes this food item as a “small piece of personal theatre that you eat”.

Indeed, not just the end result in a paper cone, even the making of Jhal Muri is quite theatrical. In a commonplace steel vessel, a vendor drops handfuls of muri, chaat masala, rock salt, chilli powder, dried mango powder, chanachur (nuts and lentils), onions, chillies, coriander, a dash of lime juice, tamarind water and the pungent mustard and vigorously mixes it up with a steel ladle. What comes out is a smorgasbord of a mouthwateringly spicy, tangy, sharp and fresh bowl of goodness.

Curiously though, this Bengali snack wasn’t born in Bengal. Bihari workers who migrated to the city during the British Raj for employment opportunities realised that this muri was a great business idea and would be lapped up by British officials and the Bengali elite alike. Hence, Jhal Muri stalls started burgeoning in every corner of Kolkata and Bangladesh.