Thenkuzhal

Thenkuzhal is a delightful Indian snack made from a mixture of rice and urad dal flour. To prepare, start by washing the rice and drying it in the shade. Next, lightly roast urad dal in a dry pan, let it cool, and then combine it with the dried rice before grinding the mixture into a fine powder. Sift the flour, then incorporate cumin seeds, asafetida powder, salt, and butter, mixing thoroughly by hand. Gradually add water to form a dough. Using a Thenkuzhal press, shape the dough into small circular pieces and fry them in hot oil until they are crispy and golden yellow, being careful not to let them brown. Once fried, drain and store the Thenkuzhal in an airtight container for a crunchy, savory treat.

This snack is made during festivals and special occasions like Diwali. This can be stored for weeks without refrigeration.

Thenkuzhal

Recipe by S Kamala

Course: SnacksCuisine: Indian, TamilDifficulty: Medium

Servings

25

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

This snack is made during festivals and special occasions like Diwali. This can be stored for weeks without refrigeration.

Ingredients

• 4 cups raw rice

• 1 cup urad dal

• 5 tbsp butter

• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp salt – to taste

• oil for deep frying

Directions

• Wash rice and spread it on a clean cloth and dry in the shade.
• In a dry kadai add the urad dhal and fry slightly. Cool it. Mix both rice and dhal and send it to Mill for grinding it to a fine powder. (See notes below, for alternate steps)
• Sieve the flour. Add cumin seeds, asafetida powder, salt and butter to the flour and mix by hand thoroughly.
• Now add water little by little and make a dough.
• Take small quantity of dough and put it in the Thenkuzhal Press (Murukku Atchu) with three small holes and press it in small circular motion directly to the hot oil.
• Fry till it becomes crispy and nice golden yellow. But ensure not to brown.
• Take out from oil and store it in a airtight container.

Notes

• If you cannot find a Mill near to your place, you can use rice flour and urad dhal flour in the ratio 4:1/2. In that case, fry the urad dhal in a dry kadai and powder it in a mixie. Sieve it and add it to the rice flour.
• You can also add a handful of chutney dhal powdered finely.