Thenkuzhal Muruku 2 | Diwali Savory Snack | Step by Step Recipes

By now it must be obvious that I love murukkus. This is going to be the third recipe that I am sharing. I got this recipe from my neighbor, Konda's friend K's Mom. She makes this for Diwali every year and every year I ask her for the recipe and never get around to make it.

This year I made up my mind that I was going to make it and wrote down the recipe. Just the day before Deepavali, I told Amma that I wanted to make this version. As it happened I had noted down the recipe in my phone and looks like I missed out few things. So I had Amma talk to K's Mom and noted down the recipe.

One main thing I didn't tell Amma was that this recipe measures the whole rice, which then is powdered. Since we had rice flour on hand, we had to modify according to the recipe. After finally getting to the dough I realized how easy this muruku is to make.

Another factor that Amma told me was the fact that all Thenkuzhal murukus call for the rice flour to be roasted. We did that and the Murukkus came out awesome.

Best part about this recipe is that, there is no butter or ghee added.

Step By Step Recipe.

Thenkuzhal Muruku 2

Ingredients Needed

Rice flour - 5 cups
Urad Dal -- 1 cup
Water - 3 - 4 cups
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Asafoetida a pinch
Oil for Deep frying


How to make Thenkuzhal Muruku

Wash and pressure cook the Urad dal with 3 cups of water for 3 whistles. Once the pressure falls, check if the urad dal is cooked to mushy. If not, add one more cup of water and cook again.

Heat a kadai, dry roast the rice flour till it's done. This can be checked by taking a pinch of roasted flour and doing a kolam or drawing a line on the flour. If it forms a uniform line, it means the the flour is roasted well.

Once the flour is roasted, remove and allow to cool. Sieve to remove lumps.

To the Urad dal, add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, sesame seeds. Dissolve salt in about 2 tsp of water and sprinkle over the Urad dal. Mix everything well.

Then slowly add the rice flour, and mix into a dough. It took about 5 cups of rice flour for us to get a smooth batter.

Heat a kadai with oil. When the oil is hot, check with a small bit, when it comes out, it means the oil is hot.

Pinch out a ball enough to fill the muruku achu. We used 3 holes achu.

Since the dough is very soft to use, you can directly press the muruku over the hot oil. Else press you can press over the back side of a ladle and gently slide into the oil.

Cook over medium flame on both sides. Drain to a kitchen towel.

Notes:
The original recipe calls for 4 cups of rice. Since we had rice flour, we knew 4 cups of rice would yeiled about 5 -6cups. 5 cups of flour was almost enough.

There is no need to add butter or ghee, the murukkus come out very soft and tasty.

Make sure you cook till it browns slightly. else it might not harden once it cools down.

The murukus from pan will be soft initially. After it cools down, it will turn crunchy.

Thenkuzhal Muruku | Thenkuzhal Recipe | Deepavali Snacks

Thenkuzhal is one of my favorite Muruku varities. This Diwali we wanted to make Thenkuzhal along with few other muruku varieties. Sweets will follow tomorrow. I always enjoyed eating this Thenkuzhal and was surprised to find that the proportion that Amma normally uses is almost the same except of course you add some and minus some!

For making the murukus, follow the exact same method as seen in the Jantikalu or Muruku. I am going to list out only the ingredient proportion as the making method is the same.

Before I forget, I had a wow moment this evening. While browsing through our cookbook collection, I happened to look into those old books I remember Sree buying. We always made sure to visit the annual Madras Book Fair. And every year, we used to add some to our collection. While I used to buy Tintin and Asterisk, Sree used to buy different genre, at times it also used to be cookery books for Amma. So one such collection, especially when he thought he might have to teach himself to cook, he had got some set of collection.

Until this evening, I never realized it was "Meenakshi Ammal Samaithu Paar". As it was called Cook and See, it never struck me to translate. How fantastic! I was jubilant. Imagine having heard so much about this author and always had her collection. Deepavali has always been special for the times I spent with my brother, planning on how early we should get up for the firecrackers. Its been years since we actually did it. But every year I never fail to remember our childhood days, every year it used to be the same. It makes it all so nostalgic, I miss my brother. Diwali is not as special if one doesn't not remember the good days spent as a child with siblings.

I am sure he is making the festival a grand remembrance for my niece and nephew as we are making it for our kids. And it was one of the reason why even when Peddu is down with fever, we want to make sure others don't feel let out. And this festival of lights will surely brighten him.

Wanted to share the first batch that was done today. Made Thenkuzhal, Buttermilk Muruku and Amma made Coconut Burfi.

Thenkuzhal Muruku | Thenkuzhal Recipe

For the dough

Raw Rice flour  - 5 cups
Urad Dal flour - 1 cup
Water - app 1/2 cup or more

For Seasoning

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 50 gms

Oil for deep frying

Method to prepare:


In a wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.

Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If its not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles.

Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little more softer than the puri dough.

Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.

Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper or slotted spoon and gently slide it down the hot oil. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai.

Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. You will know by seeing the colour that its cooked. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.

This normally stays good for weeks.

South Indian Chivda or Mixture ~ Indian Savories Step by Step!

For people down south, mixture may not be something very different or unique as it gets done for every festival or function at home. A decade ago, one wouldn't think of buying such savories or sweets from Shops, but these days you get everything from the shop. Yet it can't beat the taste like the one homemade one!

Amma is known for her lip smacking mixtures or the South Indian Chivda. The many things that go into it can be variable, yet the constant ones of the mixture makes it such a delicious snack time treat. She always makes this for Deepavali. But this season we couldn't make it. Since I told her that I got to learn this, she said she will make it again.

So I learnt and made and also tried to capture it as essence. This was to be part of my book. But I thought having taken step by step pictures, it would be more beneficial sharing it here.

Lets get the oil hot while we mix the batter ok!

For minimum and better usage of the oil, the ingredients are got to be cooked in the manner specified.

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Yields : 1 & 1/2 kg of savory mixture app.
Cuisine : South Indian

First lets get the Omapodi ready as explained in the previous post!

Then fry the kara bondi and keep it aside. Same time goes in one or two twigs of curry leaves along with crushed garlic for added kick! Top it on the kara boondi.

Next fry the whole raw peanuts/ groundnuts till golden in colour. Then goes the Fried Gram till done. Fried gram does not take much time. So keep eyes wide open to remove them as soon as you put them in the oil. Cashew nuts are fried followed by this. Wondering where they are?..well they were in the mixture finally..:)

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp chili powder and salt to taste over the fried nuts and mix.

Finally goes the Poha or Attukulu. This also takes hardly few seconds for getting fried and should not be left for long. This tends to blacken the oil, so this is the last item to be fried. Remove and drain on a kitchen towel. Sprinkle a pinch of turmeric powder and salt over the fried poha and mix.

Now comes the mixing part, after all this snack is called the mixture in the South right!

First take the kara boondi in a wide mouth bowl, sprinkle little salt and chili powder. Crush the curry leaves, garlic and mix to the boondi roughly.

Then add the fried nuts. All these can be tossed about when you have a good wide bowl.

Top it with the fried poha..

Then goes the crushed Omapodi or Sev

Now with both hands mix everything together from bottom to top and repeat until you see that everything is mixed well.

Finally check for salt and spice, you will surely need to add some more chili powder. So sprinkle it over the top and repeat the process of mixing together.

I know what you are thinking! No you won't feel the chili at all..

Finally fill up pretty glasses and click pictures of them for posterity!

Now let me recap the recipe in one place!

South Indian Chivda or Savory Mixture!

Omapodi as made here.

For making Kara Bhoondi

Besan - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Cooking Soda a pinch
Water for mixing

Other ingredients needed:

Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 2 -3 twigs
Whole Cashewnuts - as per wish
Fried gram- 1/4 cup
Beaten Rice / Poha / Attukulu - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - app 1 tsp
Chili powder - 2 -3 tsp (as per taste)
Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Special Utensils:

Boondi ladle for making boondi
Slotted ladle
Kadai / Deep bottom pan for frying

Method to prepare:

For making the Kara Boondi

In a bowl , take the besan, salt, cooking soda and mix well. Add water slowly and mix to get a lump less batter. The consistency of the batter should of pouring one. When you pour a ladle ful of batter, it should fall down freely.

Heat a pan with oil. When it is hot, scoop a ladleful of batter and place the boondi plate or ladle over the hot oil and pour over it. The boondi ladle should not rest on the pan, but gently hover over it. And you can press down the batter, which will fall like drop shaped boondi into the hot oil. Simmer the flame and cook all sides to ensure you get a crispy boondi.

Repeat till you are done with the entire batch.

Other ingredients.

Wash and pat dry the curry leaves along with the stack. Drop them into hot oil. Ensure you move away as it will sprinkle out oil. Add few crushed garlic along. Fry for a min and remove.
Top over the kara boondi.

Next add the peanuts, fry till it is cooked on all sides. Then goes in the cashewnuts followed by the fried gram. Remove all fried nuts to a kitchen towel and sprinkle chili powder and salt over it.

Finally goes in the beaten rice or poha into the hot oil. This has to be fried last as it tends to leave out black colour to the oil and also tends to absorb more oil. This takes a minute to get cooked. Remove to a napkin/ kitchen towel.


Mixing the Mixture!

Take a wide mouthed bowl, add the kara boondi first, crush the curry leaves and garlic and mix along with the boondi.

Next add the fried nuts, followed by poha, finally with crushed omapodi.

When you are done with mixing with all the ingredients, check for salt and spice. Add more chili powder over it and mix again.

Notes:

1. The batter for the boondi should be very thin and should be cooked very crisp.
2. Pat dry the curry leaves before dropping them into hot oil.
3. Remember you are adding salt at various stages, so check before you add each time.
4. When it becomes cool, store the mixture in a air tight container.
5. I suppose the shelf life can be about 10 days but I can't vouch because it never stays for that long at home!
   

Enjoy this savory treat anytime of the day!

Mixed Dal Muruku ~ Deepavali Savories!

I know you must be wondering why I am still talking about Deepavali? Well naturally after making few new snacks, I can't resist not talking about them right. Especially when they are my favorite snacks. I am sure Murukus are favorites for most.

I was particular that I learn couple of snacks this time. So asked Amma to think of new dishes that she can teach me. This Mixed dal murukus are one of them. Amma made so much as she had to share with the neighbors. She had started on the first batch by the time I came in. So I ended up making only the rest of the batch.

Murukus came out so well, and I was really happy that kids liked it very much. This infact was Konda's snacks for 3 days!

Before I jump to the muruku recipe, sweeten yourself with this Banana Halwa!

Mixed Dal Murukus:

Please read the process I followed for making murukus from this Muruku post!

Raw Rice - 3 cups (600 gms)
Bengal gram - 75 gms
Urad Dal - 50 gms
Split yellow moong dal - 75 gms
Butter - 100 gms
Water as required to knead

For Seasoning

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying


Method to prepare:

Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast all the dals to light brown. Allow it to cool.

Grind the rice to a fine powder followed by all the dals.

In a wide vessel, take all the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well.

Whether you use Asafetida powder or the solid ones, you got to mix it in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour. If its not dissolved properly, when deep frying the muruku, there are chances for the hing to burst our due to air bubbles.

Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead a dough which is little more softer than the puri dough.

Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.

Take the Muruku Aachu, wash and wipe it clean. Then divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the Muruku maker with the dough. You can either press it directly over the flames or press over a paper or slotted spoon and gently slide it down the hot oil. But since the quantity mentioned here is less, you can press it directly over the kadai.

Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. You will know by seeing the colour that its cooked. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.

Happy munching!

Deepavali Wishes with Deepavali special sweets and savories!

Wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous Deepavali. May this year brings you lots and lots of happiness in life and fulfill all your dreams!

I managed to slip to update this post!. Kids are having their nap and the whole city is blustering with crackers. It is a wonder they actually are still napping! All the round the city, you can find kids getting excited with their Lakshmi Vedi and so many other things. The colorful crackers are treasured for the evening affair!

We finally decided on making a different variety of muruku, 7 cup Barfi, Kakinada Kaja. We couldn't make Mixture and Besan Burfi for want of time.

All are recipes from Amma. I just helped her make the muruku, though the barfi was done in steps and I took the full charge of it.


The timing is very important for making this burfi. Though the top texture looks uneven and gives a tough appearance, it is very soft. If more ghee was added it becomes your perfect melt in your mouth kids!



Recipes will be follow soon. Meanwhile do share what you all made and how you enjoyed the day!