THENKUZHAL / PLAIN MURUKKU - DIWALI SNACK

Preparation time -  10 minutes

Cooking time - 1 hour

Serving size - 50 to 60 pieces

Thenkuzhal is a very easy and tasty recipe. Even babies could eat this murukku once they get their new teeth.  It is the most important snacks on festive days especially during Diwali. We all know, during festive time we use to share sweets and snacks to friends and relatives. By that time, we could see thenkuzhal is the common snack from every ones home :)  I often make this thenkuzhal in my home and keep it in the air tight large container. The reason is, it is my kid's favorite snack.

There is one more interesting thing in the thenkuzhal - "Araivekkadu" which means half cooked murukku. It is very soft and tastes yummy. I am remembering my childhood days... My brother loves this type of thenkuzhal very much. My hubby too :) You could eat this type of murukku within 1 or 2 hours, after that it won't tastes good.

Diwali is nearing ... only 2 more days... I started making snacks, but I couldn't find time to upload recipes in my blog. I know that I am not active in blogging :( Will try to upload recipes from now. 

Ingredients

urad flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 4 cups
Hing powder -  1/3 tsp
Ghee - 1/4 cup, if you wish you can add more
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt -  as needed
Water - as needed
Oil - for deep frying

Method

• Heat oil in a pan for deep fry.

• Sieve both the flours in a large vessel. Mix all the above ingredients except oil into fine dough.

NOTE :  Dough should not be either too hard or too watery. It should be as like as in the below picture. Then only, it is easy to press.IF IT IS HARD, it is too hard to press. IF IT IS WATERY, it will be either separate or break into pieces. Dough must be soft and non-sticky.

• Put 2 big spoons full into the murukku maker and keep it aside. Use 3 plain wholes plate in the murukku maker for thenkuzhal.

• Once the oil gets ready, press dough into the oil using murukku maker. Make 3 or 4 murukkus at a time. Then only it will get cook with enough spaces.

• Cook both the sides well in a medium flame. If you need adjust flame from medium to low and vice verse, unless murukku will get burn or with color differences.

• Remove it from the oil to the paper towel.

• Once it gets cool, shift them into the air tight container.