Mullu Thenkuzhal

 Murukku can be magical for first timers – especially first time makers. Be it the ones made by the murukku maker, or the hand-made kai-murukkus, making murukku is an art by itself .In most South Indian family festivals, won’t end up without Murukku items.  This Mullu Thenkuzhal is an all-time favorite Indian snack that is sure to satisfy both in our family. This recipe guarantees crunchy and smooth  Mullu Thenkuzhal. This is very easy and simple recipe.

Murukku tips:

• Do not keep the dough for a long time. Make sure you keep the dough covered throughout to avoid drying of the dough.
•  Do not mix the whole flour at a time to make dough. Make dough little by little and fry at once. Otherwise, the preparation will become red.
• Make sure the rice flour and other flours, you use is fine in texture. Otherwise the Murukku will break.
• Butter gives whiter color and crisp texture.
  
  

Ingredients:

  Rice flour –                                         2 cup

Moong dhal flour –                            ¼ cup

Chutney dhal flour (Pottukadalai) – ¼ cup

Cumin seeds –                                    ½ tea spoon

Asafetida powder                              1/8 tsp.

Unsalted butter –                               2 table spoon

Salt –                                                     as per taste

Oil for frying

Method:

• Dry fry the Moong dhal in a pan,  grind in the mixer till fine powder.
• Mix all together. Divide them into two equal parts.   
• Make dough with first half, with enough water to a stiff dough.
• Make balls out of the batter and put it in the mould (mullu thenkuzhal) of the achu.
• Heat the oil in a pan and press out the dough.
• Cook in low flame till crisp and golden in color.
• Remove from the fire and drain.
• Now prepare the other half (follow the same steps)
• Mullu Thenkuzhal is ready.  Store it in an air tight container.
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  Murukku Aachu

Thenkuzhal Murukku

Murukku is a traditional snack which prepared for festivals, especially Diwali and Krishna Jayanthi. Thenkuzhal is a tasty and crispy snack make from rice and Urad dal flour.  This post has been lying in my draft since Diwali and finally posted it today.   For Thenkuzhal Mavu, readymade mavu won’t be good. But if there is no other go add a handful of urudh dhal powder more. Add little hot oil or ghee while getting the batter ready. In this recipe, I used ready made rice flour.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour -                     4 cups

Urdh dhal                      1 cup

Cumin Seed                   1 tsp.

Salt -                               to taste

Butter -                            4tbsp.

Asafetida(Hing)              1 tsp.

 Cooking Oil                   for deep fry

Method:

• Put the frying pan in the stove. Keep the stove in low fire .Dry roast the Urad dhal to a nice golden brown color and powder it in the blender and sieve it .The urudh dhal should be roasted in such a way that it should never get red at the same time be well roasted .  (OR) you can use store bought Urad flour and roasted it.
• Take a large mixing bowl and mix rice flour, Urad flour, cumin seeds, salt, asafetida powder, butter. and water . Knead well to form smooth dough.  Heat oil and keep it ready.

• Check the oil temperature before dropping the Murukku. Try with a small sample.
• Press out the dough using a Thenkuzhal press in the hot oil, fry well.
• Cook until the hissing sound ceases.
• Remove from the fire and drain.
• Crispy Thenkuzhal are ready! Cool them and store them in air tight containers so that they remain crispy. 

 Tips:

•  Always fry the Murukku on medium high flame, otherwise it will brown the outer layer, and dough will be partially cooked inside.
• Do not mix the whole flour at a time to make dough. Do them in batches.
• Do not over crowd them while frying.
• Do not keep the dough for a long time.

Uppu Seedai

Uppu Seedai is one of the main traditional bakshanams made especially during Krishna Jayathy’s day.. There are two varieties of seedais – sweet and the salt version. Sweet seedai is called “vella seedai”.The salty version is called “Uppu seedai”.  I have heard stories about seedai bursting from my friends. Here are the tips to avoid Uppu Seedai(s) from bursting in hot oil.

Tips:

• Homemade or store bought flour, it should be sieved properly.
• Do not roll them tightly. While rotating them in your palm, keep it as gentle as possible.
•  Use, instead of dry coconut, uses coconut oil for the dough.
• Dry the balls before frying them.

Here is the recipe for the Seedai.

 Preparation Time   :  15 mins
 Cooking Time        : 30 mins
 Recipe Category    :  Festival Recipes, Neivedyam 
 Recipe Cuisine       : South Indian  

Ingredients:

Rice Flour                   2 cups

Urad Flour                  2 tablespoon

Sesame seeds             1 teaspoon (optional)

Cummin See               1 teaspoon

Salt                            To taste

Butter                         1 tablespoon

Asafoetida                   a pinch

Coconut oil                  1 tablespoon

Cooking oil                  for deep frying.

Method

• I have used store bought rice and Urad flour.
• Fry the Urad flour in medium heat for 2 minutes.
•  Dry roast the sesame and cumin seeds for a second.
• Mix everything along with salt, asafoetida, butter.
• Add water very little by little to form a smooth dough.
• Form into a small balls of marble size. While rotating them in your palm, keep it as gentle as possible.
• Keep them on a clean cloth or paper towel for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in medium flame and fry the balls.
• Put as many cheedais as possible , the oil can hold at a time.
• When frying the balls , keep moving the balls in oil to ensure uniform frying.
•  Fry until they become golden brown or till the bubble stops, and hissing sound ceases.
• Drain them in a tissue paper and transfer them to an airtight container.
• Now Yummy Cheedai is ready to eat.

Uppu Seedau

Kara Pori- Spicy Puffed rice

Kara Pori is one the most popular street-side snack in southern part of India.  Whenever I feel like eating something, I prepare this snack. This is easy to prepare, and simple, delicious and of course healthy too.

Ingredients 

Puffed rice (Pori)                            - 4 cups heaped

Fried gram (pottu Kadalai)                - 1 cup

Peanuts                                         – 1 cup

Mor Milaghai                                   - 4 no

Red chillies                                     - 2 no

Asafetida                                     – ¼ tsp.

Oil                                              - 3-4 tsp.

Turmeric powder                            -1/4 tsp.

Curry leaves                                      - few

Salt and chillis powder                      to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a wide pan adds Peanuts, and fried gram Curry leaves. Fry them for 3-4 minutes.
•  In the same pan, add more oil, add MOR Milaghai, red chilies, curry leaves and fry for a minute.
• After that ,add the puffed rice with turmeric powder, hing, salt and red chili powder.
•  Low the stove heat and, mix it all together and let it sit in the heat for 5 minutes or till it becomes crispy.  Store it in an air tight container.
• Serve it hot wit some hot chai 

Sweet Appam- 250th Post

Appam is a known dish in Tamilnadu. There are different versions of appam and this is very simple version which we make during festivals like Krishna Jayanthi and Kaarthikai.

Ingredients
Wheat flour                          1/2 cup

Maida -                               1/2 cup
Rice flour –                         2tbsp

Jaggery –                            ½ cup

Cardamom powder n-           1/2 tsp.

Baking soda                       – a pinch

Water -
Oil                                     for frying

 Method:

• Add a little water to jaggery and soak for 15 minutes.  Dissolve well and filter it to get rid off any dirt.
• In a bowl , add the flour and powdered cardamom and add the jaggery liquid to it and mix well till you get a consistency of a thick dosa batter or idly batter(Make sure it is not so free flowing. When you drop it from the ladle it should fall slowly). Keep for 30 minutes.
• Heat a oil in a deep frying pan, (Keep a slow fire.)
• When oil hot is enough, take the dough in a small ladle and drop it into the oil.
• Cook one side and then turn the other side.
• Let it fry till it becomes golden brown. Drain it on the paper towel.
• You can make 3 to 4 appam at a time depending on the size of your pan.
•  Repeat the procedure with the rest of the batter and serve hot or warm.

Khamon Dhoklas

Khaman Dhokla is one of the popular dishes in Gujarati Cuisine. These dhoklas are very soft and spongy.  Adding Eno salt (fruit salt) to the batter is the main factor for the sponginess. These spongy Khaman have been infused with a sugar-lime juice solution to give it that authentic street taste.... Dhoklas can be served as breakfast, evening snack or even as an appetizer. A Dhoklas can be made with different variations. Suji Dhokla is white colored recipe made of semolina. Chawal Dhokla is made of rice powder. The most popular one is the yellow colored Besan Dhoklas made of gram flour or chickpeas.

Ingredients

Besan (Bengal gram flour)         1 cup

Semolina (rava)                       1 1/2 tbsp.

Sugar                                     4 tsp.

Ginger-green chillis paste        1 tsp.

Lemon juice                              1 tsp.

 Salt to taste

Fruit salt (ENO Salt)                2 tsp.

Oil for greasing and cooking    3 1/2 tsp.

Seasonings

Mustard seeds                        1 tsp.

Sesame seeds (til)                  1 tsp.

Chopped jalapenos                2tbsp

Asafetida (hing)                     a pinch

 curry leaves                         2 to 3

Sugar                                 – 1 tsp

Lemon juice                        – 1 tsp

Water                                -4-5 tbsp

Decoration

Grated fresh Coconut           1 tbsp.

Chopped Coriander leaves    1 tbsp.     

Green chutney                  1 tbsp.

Method

• Combine the besan, semolina, sugar, ginger-green chillis paste, lemon juice and salt along with little water (approximately ¾ cup) in a bowl and mix well with the help of your hand to get a smooth and thick batter.
• Keep the steamer or cooker ready on gas.
• .Add 1 tsp. of fruit salt to a portion of the batter and mix gently.
• Divide the batter into 2 equal portions and keep aside. Pour the batter immediately into a greased dish
• Steam in a steamer for 12 to 15 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked. Keep aside.
• Repeat the steps  and make one more thali of dhoklas.
• While the Khaman are cooling, prepare the solution and tadka.
• Chop the jalapenos into small pieces.
• Heat 3 tsp. of oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.
• When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds. Green chillis, Jalapenos, Asafetida and curry leaves, mix well and saute on a medium flame for a few seconds.
• Mix the sugar, lime juice in the water and stir, make sure all the sugar dissolves. Mix it into the seasoning.
• Cool slightly and cut into equal sized pieces.
• Pour this tempering over the dhoklas.
• Serve hot  with decorations.

Vada Pav/ Batata Vada

Vada pav – Indian version of burger, must be one of the most loved street foods. Vada Pav is an Evergreen fast food in Mumbai. You will get Vada Pav in each and every street corner in Mumbai. It used to be "poor man's food", but these days even the rich and famous can be spotted eating it at Bombay's (Mumbai) numerous roadside foods stalls. This dish was initially started as the cheapest form of a meal for low income group, but due to its taste, this dish became so popular, and many people have it at breakfast, lunch or even dinner as well.  It consists of a batata vada (called bonda in South India) sandwiched between 2 slices of a pav.

Ingredients

 Big Potatoes boiled, peeled, mashed       -   4 no

Chopped green chilies                               – 2 nos

Grated ginger                                          1 tsp.

Green coriander chopped n                          3 tbsp.

Lime juice                                               – 1tsp

Chopped Curry leaves                             – 1 tsp.

Green chilies (Slit Lengthwise)                 – 2 nos

Salt                                                      to taste

Vegetables oil                                  for deep frying

For the outer covering

Bengal gram (Besan)                       – 1 cup

Turmeric Powder                             – ¾ tsp.

  Baking soda                                    A pinch

Salt                                                    to taste

Vegetable oil                                     for deep frying

 Other ingredients

 Vegetable oil                                      for deep-frying

Green Chutney                         (Grind  together -mint, coriander leaves, roasted jeera powder, green chilies, 1 tsp. lemon juice)

Turmeric Chutney                     (Grind together - Dates, Tamarind paste, jiggery, black salt, red chili powder, chaat powder)

Bread (Pao)                                     – 4 no

Butter                                          – 2 tbsp.

Fried Green chilies                          – 4 no

Method:

• Mash potatoes very well. Add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, salt and coriander leaves. Mix lemon juice in it and mix very well. Divide the mixture equally into small dumplings.

•  Mix the gram flour with salt and turmeric powder and baking soda. Add enough water to make a batter of medium thick consistency.
• Heat the oil in a wok deep fry the dumpling (potato Vada), now coat the dumplings with the batter and deep fry till golden brown and keep it on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

• Take the pav (bun breads), make a slit in between. Spread butter, Tamarind chutney, and green chutney on one side of the bread.
•  Stuff the vada in between and serve the Vada Pav with fried green chilies and Tomato ketchup.

Bitter gourd Fry (Pavarkkai Varuval)

Some people love pavarkkai and most do not.  In my childhood days, my mom used to cook this varuval. This is my mom’s specialty recipe. When this is cooked at my home, I don’t even leave any trace in my plate. Ghee along with bitter gourd mixed with white rice really tastes good. Typically 40+ people enjoy this. Kids keep a mile distance.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd                                  2 cups

Chili powder                                 2 tsp

Besan( Kadalla Mavu)                    1 tbsp

Rice powder                                 1 tsp

Lemon juice                                 1 tsp (removes bitterness)

Salt                                            to taste

Hing                                           2 pinch

Method

• Discard the seeds and slice the pavarkkai into thin round pieces.
• Put in the microwave and cook for 4 mins (Or  you can  do steam cook )
• Now mix the pavarkkai with chili powder, hing, salt ,lemon juice and besan. Keep aside for 30 mins
• Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the pavarkkai till it turns crispy
• Remove and stain the oil.
• Serve with rice, Sathumamuthu.

Aval / Poha / Flattened Rice Vadai

This is simple and delicious snack.

Ingredients:
Aval(Beaten rice/Poha) -               1 cup
Gram flour                                  1 tbsp.

Rice flour                                    1 tbsp.

Corn flour –                                 1 tsp

Grated coconut                            1 tbsp.

Salt                                           to taste

 Finely chopped Green chili            4 no

Hing -                                         a pinch
 finely chopped Coriander leaves    -1 tbsp.
 finely chopped Curry leaves           - a few
Grated Ginger-                              1 tsp.

Oil                                           – For deep frying

Method:

• Wash Aval  and rinse well. Set aside for 10 minutes till it turns soft.
• Add all above ingredients (expect oil) and form a dough.
• Make dough without using water, as Aval is already enough wet. Make soft dough. 
• Divide the dough into 10 parts and make small Vedas with hand of each part.
• Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry vadas, until golden brown and crispy.
• Serve hot with mint chutney or ketchup.

Ribbon Pokada

Ribbon Pakoda is a very popular South Indian tea time snack made from gram flour and rice flour. Ribbon Pakoda are an inclusion to all festivals and occasions. My husband loves it a lot, and I am sure you would too… Even though many of us know the recipe, this is my version.

Ingredients:-

Rice flour                                   - 1 cup

Besan flour                                – 3 cup

Urdh dhal powder                       – 3 tbsp.

Unsalted Butter                           – 3 tbsp.

Red chili powder                        – 1 tsp. (according to taste)

Asafetida powder                       – ¼ tsp.

Turmeric Powder                            – ¼ tsp.

Crushed Black pepper                  – ½ tsp.

Salt                                           to taste

Water                                       1 cup

Cooking oil                               for deep frying

Tools:

Sev Press

Slotted Spoon

Paper Towel

Kadai

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. The stove heat should be in medium flame.
• Combing all above ingredients expect water and oil. Gradually add water to make it a stiff dough, adding extra water if required.
• Grease the Sev Press with oil. Fill in the dough into the press.
• Press out thin strips of the dough into the hot oil. Only press in enough to cover the oil.
• Fry it till becomes golden brown, strain the excess oil in a paper towel, let it cool.
• Press the remaining batches of the dough in the similar manner.
• Cool the entire ribbon Pakoda and store in an  air tight containers.
• Serve with Tea or coffee.

Peanut pakodas

Peanuts/groundnuts are a favorite time pass for many of us. Peanut pakodas is a very popular and lip-smacking snack from South India. Masala peanuts are the delicacy of Tamilnadu. I often prepare it and serve it as snacks for tea. It’s an easy recipe and you will love it.

I invariably make them in large batches, but the challenge is not making them, it's trying not to eat them all at once! Try this with cashews or almonds too.

Ingredients:

Raw peanuts                       – 2 cup

Corn flour-                             1 cup

Rice flour                              – 1 cup

Red Chili powder                   – 1 tsp

Hing                                  – ¼ tsp

Salt                                  – to taste

Oil                                    for deep frying

 Method:

• Mix the corn flour, rice flour , red chili powder, Asafetida(Hing), peanuts and salt. Sprinkle very little water and mix well. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
•  A small bit of batter dropped into the hot oil bubbles and rises to the top immediately. Then add the batter-coated peanuts, piece by piece (or by the handful), adding as many as the wok can hold at one time.
• Deep fry the peanuts in hot oil till they turn crispy and golden brown color.
• Repeat with the remaining peanuts. Transfer to paper towels to drain the excess oil. Let cool and store in an airtight container and serve as a snack.

Gobi Manchurian ( Cauliflower Manchurian)

Indian Chinese cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. A wonderful blend of easy Chinese cooking with a dash of Indian spices thrown in!. Gobi Manchurian is also famous and known as a Cauliflower Manchurian. You can easily find the Gobi Manchurian in any restaurant menu. Gobi Manchurian is also one of the ultimate party food. Learn How to make Gobi Manchurian(especially without garlic and onion)  and make your party an exceptional one

Ingredients:

For Gobi Manchurian florets

Cauliflower                            – 1 medium sized cut into medium sized florets

All Purpose flour  Or Maida         – ½ cup

Cornflour                               - ½ cup

Ginger Paste                        –  1 tbsp

Red chili powder                     – 1 tsp

Cooking oil                          – to  deep fry

Red color                            – few drops

Salt                                      – to taste

 Method:

• Wash the cauliflower and steam cook the flower for few minutes and keep aside.
• Combine together all-purpose flour,red color, corn flour, red chili powder, salt , ginger paste and a little bit of water to form a batter thick enough to coat each cauliflower floret.
•  Heat oil in a big wok,dip each floret in the batter and gently put it into the oil.Do not overcrowd the wok while frying.Do it in 2 or 3 steps as needed.
• Fry it until it turns golden brown in color.Drain into a tissue paper and keep them aside and allow it to cool.

Fried Cauliflower

For Gobi Manchurian Gravy

Cooking oil                                    as needed

Julienned ginger                            1 tsp

Mixed color capsicums                  1 cup (cut into1/2’ pieces)

Shredded cabbage                        1/4 cup

Sweet and sour sauce

Red chilli powder                          1/2 tsp

Chopped green chillies                  1 tsp

Green chili sauce                           1 tsp

Soy sauce                                    2 tbsp

 Organic Tomato sauce                  3 tbsp
Sweet and sour sauce                  2tbsp 

Vinegar                                      1 tsp

Hot water                                 ½ cup

Corn flour                                  1tsp

fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish

Method for Gravy:         

• Fine chop the  capsicums, green chillies.
• Heat oil in a wok add green chillies, ginger paste, capsicums and cabbage . Saute for a while.
• Now add a soy sauce, sweet & sour sauce,chili sauce , tomato sauce and vinegar .  Mix them well.
• Pour hot water in it. Let it  boil for 3-4 minutes in a low flame.
• Now add a fried cauliflower florets in it.
• Dissolve 2 tablespoon of corn flour in a cup of normal water and add in a pan. Mix them properly. Cook it on low flame for 1 minute.
• Saute again for 3-4 minutes to absorb excess water of any and switch off fire when it is semi dry/saucy Consistency has reached.
• Garnish with freshly  chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Indochinese noodles or vegetable fried rice.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

This is one of my favorite snacks from Chettinad cuisine. This can be made both salty and sweet. Kuzhi Paniyaram is known by various names in Southern India, including paddu, appe, guliappa, gulittu, and gundponglu, ponganalu, and gunta pongadalu. I will give you my version of Kuzhi Paniyaram.

  

The above picture is a non-stick skillet (Appam Chatti - in Tamil) can be easily found here in US as pancake puff skillet from Amazon or from Bed Bath & Beyond and sometimes can be found in Indian stores too.

Ingredients for grinding

Idly rice                                 1 cup

Raw rice                                1 cup

Urdu dhal                            1/4 cup

Fenugreek seed                    1 table spoon
Aval                                    1tbsp 

Salt to taste

Method for Batter

Soak all the five together for 2 to 3 hours and grind nicely .Mix it with very little salt and ferment for 8 hours.

Masalas:

Grated coconut                       2 tbsp

Green Chilies                         5 no
Jalapenos                              1 no ( optional)

Chopped Curry leaves              2 tbsp.

Finely Chopped Ginger              3 tsp.

Oil                                         4 tbsp.(Oil to pour into the moulds)

Method for Paniyaram

• Chop green chilies and ginger into finely.  Keep aside.
• Check for the sourness in the batter. If it too sour, add salt as required, and if it too thick, add little water to make it to dosa batter consistency.
• Add all  above masala items in it and mix well.
• Take the Kuzhi Paniyaram skillet, on medium heat; add 1/2 tsp. oil in each hole. (Don’t keep the stove in high flame).
• When hot, add the batter, pour few drops of oil on top and close the skillet with lid. This helps Paniyaram to cook well inside-out. After 2-3 mins, take out the lid and check if the sides have become light brown.  If not, place the lid back and let it cook for some more time.
• When you feel it is cooked underneath turn it upside down with a long needle like thing or with the stick provided. Allow the other side also to cook well.
• Take it out of kadai when it comes to light brown in color.
• This kuzhi paniyaram tastes excellent with Thakkali thuvayal and coconut  chutney.

Tip:   you can add grated carrots in the batter.

Green Kothu Kadalai (green Chenna) Sundal

 There are three types of Kadalai one is the Konda Kadalai (Kabuli Chenna) and the brown variety called Mukkadalai (Kala Chenna / Black Chenna) and third one is green Chenna.  All Chennas are very good for the body and are nutritious too.

Madappalli provides a simple recipe to make Kothu Kadalai Sundal. 

Ingredients

 Green Chick Peas                  - 2 cups

 Grated Fresh coconut                – 3 tbsp. (if not available, you can use the dry coconut powder)

Salt                                      -  to taste

Seasonings:

Oil                                        - 2 tablespoons

Mustard Seed                          - 1 tsp.

Urad Dhal                              - 1/2 tsp.

Green Chilies                           – 3

Grated Ginger                            – 2 tsp.

Asafetida                                 – ¼ tsp.

Curry Leaves

 Coriander leaves                     for decoration

 Method:

• Wash and soak Chenna overnight.
• Pressure cook with just enough water with a little salt. Drain out the water.
• Heat oil in a fry pan, splutter mustard seeds
• Add the red chilies, ginger, Urdh dhal and curry leaves. Fry for few minutes.
• Add the cooked chick peas with little water and fry for a few minutes with constant stirring.
• Shallow fry for a few minutes till all the moisture is absorbed.
• Add the coconut (grated) and mix well. Add some more salt if necessary.
• Hot yummy sundal is ready to be packed and given to people who visit your golu or ready to be eaten as a snack.
• Decorate with coriander leaves.

•  Tips: Same recipe can be followed to make all types of Kadalai Sundal.
•  You can use grated Carrots in this Sundal.