Kai Muruku: A Fading Touch Of Tradition

By Vishvani Kumar

PETALING JAYA, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Amid the busyness of modern life, the sound of hands rolling dough for kai muruku (hand-rolled muruku made without moulds) is becoming increasingly rare in Indian households, especially among the younger generation.

With Deepavali to be celebrated on Monday, Oct 20, many now take the easier route — buying ready-made muruku from supermarkets, replacing the patient handiwork that once symbolised love and family tradition.

But for single mother V. Lakshmi Bai, 73, from Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, keeping the art of kai muruku alive is more than nostalgia — it is an expression of love for her ancestral heritage.

For her, making kai muruku is not just a festive routine but a cultural craft handed down since her mother’s time.

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“In the past, there were no moulds at all — that’s why people made kai muruku. I don’t want this culture to disappear, so until now I still make it by hand,” she told Bernama with a smile, her hands deftly rolling the soft rice flour dough into perfect spirals.

For more than three decades, Lakshmi has preserved this traditional method, and today she is the only one among her siblings who still makes kai muruku every Deepavali.

Unlike mould-pressed muruku, which is more common, kai muruku has only two spirals — making it softer and easier to bite, compared with moulded muruku which has multiple coils and firmer edges.

In terms of ingredients, both are almost the same — butter, cumin, white dhal, and asafoetida powder — but the secret of kai muruku lies in the moisture of the rice flour used.

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“Kai muruku requires wet flour. I wash the rice, dry it only halfway, then grind it into flour,” she explained. “For moulded muruku, dry flour works fine, but kai muruku only turns out well if the flour is semi-wet.”

Each piece of kai muruku demands patience and skill. To make around 40 pieces, Lakshmi needs nearly 45 minutes — compared to just 30 minutes with a mould.

Although today there are various moulds and instant flour mixes to make the process easier, Lakshmi remains steadfast in using the traditional method passed down through generations.

The single mother of two said each spiral of kai muruku is more than just food — it is a symbol of love, patience, and a heritage that must be preserved.

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“Nowadays it’s hard to find people who make kai muruku. But as long as I’m able, I will continue. This is our culture,” she said with conviction.

For the younger writer who tried making kai muruku for the first time, the experience was more than cooking — it was a lesson in patience and an appreciation of the culinary heritage of the Indian community.

More than just a festive snack, kai muruku carries a touch of tradition that makes Deepavali not only about sweets and the glow of lamps, but also about the patient hands that keep heritage alive.

— BERNAMA