Karasev/Khara sev

Ingredients:
Besan/Gram flour/Kadalai maavu - 1 cup (heaped)
Rice flour - 1 cup
Black peppercorns - 2 tsp. (crushed coarsely)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Ghee (solid) - 2 tbsp.
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
In a bowl, mix gram flour, rice flour, pepper, cumin, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida.
Pour hot molten ghee. Mix with a spoon.
Then mix with hands. Break the lumps.
Now add water little by little and prepare a soft and smooth dough.
Heat oil to deep fry.
Add required quantity of dough in the murukku presser and press directly in the hot oil.
Cook on both sides in medium flame till there is no noise.
Remove and place it on the paper towel.
Continue the same process with the remaining dough.
Once the sev gets cooled, store in an air tight container.
(However, I didn't store as everyone finished it within moments)

Note:
Cook the sev in medium flame.
Crush the sevs in required length when they are warm.
Don't overcrowd the sevs while deep frying.
To make sev there is a different gadget which I don't own.
Recipe source: Indian cuisine

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Kara Boondi

Ingredients:
Gram flour/Besan - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Cashew nuts (whole) - 1 tbsp.
Peanuts - 1 tbsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp. and 3 pinches (or as per taste)
Garlic cloves with skin - 8 (crushed)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
In a bowl, mix gram flour, rice flour and salt. Now pour some water little by little until the batter is consistent enough for pouring through the perforated spoon. Make sure to avoid lumps. The batter should not be too thick nor too thin.
Take a ladleful of batter and place the perforated spoon or boondi ladle on the top of batter vessel.
Pour the batter (from the ladle) and check whether it drops like pearls without any tails.
If it falls with tails, then again pour little water, mix well and check again.
The correct consistency is achieved when the batter falls like pearl droplets.
Heat the oil in a wide deep pan to deep fry.
Drop a very little batter to check the oil temperature.
When the boondi floats to the surface of oil, this indicates that the temperature is right for frying.
Take a ladleful of batter and place the boondi spoon over the pan and pour the batter.
Pour up till a layer of boondis is formed. Don't overcrowd or else the boondis end up as clusters.
Fry on both sides till the sizzling sound almost stops.

Continue with the next batch.

When all the batter is finished, deep fry the peanuts and cashew nuts till light golden colour, curry leaves till crisp and garlic till light golden colour each individually.
Mix all with boondi. Sprinkle red chilli powder and mix .
After cooling, store in an air tight container.


Note:
If the boondis are flat, then the batter has too much water. Add a little more gram flour.
If the boondis form tails, add little water and mix well.
Mix the batter very well to avoid lumps.
It is better to sieve all the flours before use.
After pouring the batter on the perforated spoon, wipe it clean to remove the remaining batter sticking on it each time.
Instead of garlic, asafoetida can be added to the batter.

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Oats Thattai

Ingredients:
Oats (quick-cooking) - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Roasted chana dal/pottukadalai - 1/3 cup
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp.
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Chana dal - 2 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)
Butter - 2 tsp.

Ingredients:
Dry roast the peanuts and remove the skin and keep aside.
Dry roast the oats till you get a nice aroma. Grind them.
Soak the channa dal for 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs.
In a blender, add roasted chana dal/pottukadalai, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and peanuts and grind them.
In a bowl, combine the rice flour, oats flour, white sesame seeds, ground mixture, strained chana dal, salt and butter.
Add required water and form a dough.
Heat the oil to deep-fry.
Take a key-lime sized or Indian lemon-sized ball from the dough.
Take a ziploc bag, smear oil on top of it. Place the ball. Place another ziploc bag on the ball. Press with the help of a measurement cup (the base) and form a circle. Continue the process with the remaining balls with other ziploc bags.
When the oil is hot, carefully remove the thattai from their covers and slide 'em into the oil. I deep-fried 4 thattais in each batch.
Deep fry till golden color. When the thattais are fried, there won't be any bubbles formed in the oil.
Remove them and place on an absorbent paper.
When they cool, keep them in an air-tight container or finish all of them immediately.

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya and started by Kiran.

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Sprouted Green Gram Murukku

Ingredients:
Sprouted green gram - 1 3/4 cups
Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dal - 50 gm
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves paste - 2 tbsp.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Sesame seeds (white) - 1 tsp. (heaped)
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Dry roast the urad dal till golden brown color. Cool and powder them.
Grind the sprouted green gram by adding little water.
In a bowl add rice flour, powdered urad dal, asafoetida, salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds and mix well.
Add ground green garm, coriander leaves paste and ghee and mix. Add little water and knead into a soft dough.
Take a small dough (ball) and add it in the murukku presser. Meanwhile heat the oil in a kadai to deep fry.
When the oil is hot, press the dough directly to the oil in spiral shapes.
Fry the murukkus in medium-low flame till they turn golden brown color on both sides.
Continue with the remaining dough.
Cool the murukkus and store them in air-tight container.

Sent off to Priya's "Let's Sprout" event.

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Wheat Murukku

I got this recipe from here.
Ingredients:
Wheat flour - 4 cups
Yogurt - 1 1/4 cups
Sesame seeds - 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Oil - 4 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)
Method:
1. Place the wheat flour in a vessel and cover with a lid.Pour required water in bottom of pressure cooker.Keep the vessel in it and close the cooker with its lid and cook upto three whistles.
2. Remove from heat and let the pressure drop.
3. In a bowl add the wheat flour and break the lumps if any.
4. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sesame seeds to the wheat flour.
5. Heat 4 tbsp. of oil and add the sizzling hot oil to the flour. Mix lightly.
6. Now add the yogurt and mix well.
7. Add required water and knead it into a smooth dough.
8. Add a small ball of dough into the murukku presser with star-shaped hole in disc.
9. Press the murukkus and fry in the oil (medium heat).
10. Crunchy murukkus are ready to munch!

Sent off to Sireesha's "Cooking for Kids Event - Wheat".

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Potato Murukku

This is the another variation of murukku made with potatoes, chutney dal and rice flour. It might be possible for the dough to break while pressing on the hot oil but I never care b'cuz my family loves the taste of this murukku.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2 (medium-boiled)
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Chutney dal/pottukadalai - 1/2 cup powdered
Onion - 1 (medium)
Butter - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Cut the onions into pieces and make them into paste.
Peel the skin and mash the potatoes without any lumps.
In a bowl add the sifted rice flour, chutney dal powder and salt.
Add the asafoetida, mashed potatoes, cumin seeds, onion paste & butter and mix well.
If required, add little water and knead it into a dough.
Take a small size dough and drop it in the murukku presser with star shaped hole in the disc.
Now press the dough on the medium hot oil.
As you're adding potatoes and onion, you should adjust the heat low and medium flame or you get a very dark murukku.
Cook on both the sides and enjoy the murukkus.

Sent off to Srivalli's "Kids' Delight" event.

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Ribbon Pakoda

Ribbon pakoda is a very easy & delicious snack to make. One can make it in minutes. It's a favourite snack and it's recommended for those people who love to eat crunchy-munchy stuff.

Ingredients:
Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Salt
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
In a bowl add butter, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder & asafoetida powder and mix well.
Add the rice flour , bengal gram flour and mix.
Now add water little by little and make into a smooth dough.
Now add this dough in a murukku presser and press directly in the hot oil.
Remove when both the sides are cooked.
Cool and store them in an air-tight container.

Sent off to Srivalli's "Kids' Delight" event Shanthi Krishna Kumar's "Dussehra, Dhanteras & Deepavali" event.

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Mullu Murukku

Here comes another type of murukku! In this recipe, I added Bengal Gram flour and Red Chilli powder. It's my husband's favourite murukku. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Urad dal - 100 gm
Bengal gram flour - 1/3 cup
White Sesame seed - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)

Method:
Dry-roast the urad dal till they become light golden-brown in medium-low flame.
Cool and powder them.
Sift the rice flour, urad flour and Bengal gram flour.
In a wide vessel add rice flour, Bengal gram flour, urad dal flour, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, salt, red chilli powder and finally ghee. Mix very well.
Gradually add water in little quantities and knead it into a dough.
Make a small dough-ball and insert it in the murukku presser with a star pattern.
This is what I did to get a good spiral shape. I cut a plantain leaf into small squares.
I applied oil on the surface of cut leaves.
Then slowly designed the spiral shapes of dough on the leaf.
Deep-fry the murukku in hot oil by gently sliding the spiral dough from the banana leaf.
Fry on both the sides.
When the hot oil bubbles settle down, remove the murukku from oil.
Cool and store them in an air-tight container.

Sent off to Saraswathi Iyer's "Sweets & Savouries" event and Shanthi Krishna Kumar's "Dussehra, Dhanteras and Deepavali" event.

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THENKUZHAL AND FIRST BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!

My first internet connection was the AOL back in 1999. After browsing for last 10 years, this day last year (2008) I started blogging with my passion on food. Thanks to all of you who have been constantly reading my posts and encouraging me with your feedback.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups (home-made)
Urad dal - 100 gm
Moong dal (yellow) - 1/3 cup
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Ajwain - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt (to taste)
Water (for kneading)
Oil for (deep frying)


Method:
Dry roast the urad dal and moong dal separately, then cool and powder them.
In a wide pan, add the rice flour, sifted urad, moong powder & salt and mix well.
Now add the ajwain, asafoetida & sesame seeds and mix.
Add the ghee and mix.
Now add water little by little and knead it into a dough.
Heat the oil.
Form a small ball from the dough and drop it in the murukku presser (achu) and press it in the oil by circles.
Cook on both sides in medium or medium-low heat.
Remove when no bubbles are spotted in the oil.
The wonderful and crunchy Thenkuzhal is ready!
Thenkuzhal can be stored in a airtight container when it's cooled down.

Sent off to "WYF-Festive Food Event" hosted by EC, "Sweets and Savouries" event hosted by Saraswathi Iyer and "Dussehra, Dhanteras & Deepavali" event hosted by Shanti Krishna Kumar.

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