Food items / Murauri

Murauri (or Mooli ki Badi) refers to a sun-dried, protein-rich sun-dried dumpling made primarily from grated white radish (mooli) and black gram lentils (urad dal) or rice flour. It is a specialized winter food item, traditionally crafted to preserve radish, which is abundant during the season, for consumption throughout the year, especially during the monsoons. Grated white radish is combined with soaked and ground urad dal (black gram) or sometimes rice flour, spiced with green chilies, ginger, and cumin, and then shaped into small, rough dumplings (called vadi or bari) and sun-dried until completely hard. When used in a curry with potatoes (aloo), the dried murauri are first fried in mustard oil until they turn light brown. They are then added to a tomato-onion based gravy with potatoes. Murauri acts as a super-alkaline, fiber-rich food that acts as a detoxifier. As a traditional, preservative-free item, it is highly valued in Maithil kitchens for its health benefits.