Effect of raw material characteristics on the properties of fried rice-blackgram dough

The dough, comprising a mixture of rice and blackgram, is shaped in a forming extruder followed by deep frying to obtain a crisp snack. Although it is a popular product in several oriental countries, the details of the role of raw materials and processing conditions are not known. Two different flour mixes obtained from rice and blackgram were studied to investigate the influence of the raw material on product characteristics. Fine particles in one flour mix (70 microm) had a high water-holding capacity (1.7 g/g) and gave product with low fat content (approximately 16%), but had an undesirable hard texture coupled with a floury mouth feel. On the contrary, coarse particles (113 microm) in another flour mix with a low water-holding capacity (1.5 g/g) produced a snack with higher fat content (26-30%) with a desirable crisp texture. Addition of fat and the use of coarse flour can avoid bursting of the product during frying, which is a common problem associated with frying of such products while using fine flour. A mechanism for frying rice-blackgram dough strands has been proposed.