Mullu thenkuzhal

The word "muLlu" translates into "thorn" in Tamil - and it's an apt description for this savoury crunchy snack, because it DOES have little "thorns". That's because the plate with the star-shaped hole is used in the "murukku press".

I made this for post-Christmas holiday snacking since I was not enamoured of all the strangely potato flavoured crisps that appeared during that time. If you went by just the names alone, you'd think that nobody needed to cook a turkey or goose or anything else for Christmas. Why bother when you could get an entire Christmas feast of potato crisps, like "turkey with cranberry sauce", "roast lamb and mint sauce", "honey baked ham with onions". Right?

Wrongo.

We didnt buy a single pack of those ambitiously stupid Christmas crisps. We made do with some home-made snacks and salted nuts.

Actually I almost didnt make these mullu thenkuzhal when I discovered that the recipe called for moong dal flour. I didnt have any such thing. But then I decided to make the extra effort (Christmas, after all) and ground moong dal to as fine a powder as possible in my little coffee grinder. It took a lot sifting and grinding, and even more patience, but I persevered. And finally I had the 1/2 cup of very fine moong dal flour required for the recipe.

Next time I make this it will be a LOT simpler, because I'm asking my mother to bring some moong dal and urad dal flour from India when she comes in end-Feb. Cant wait for these and other goodies to arrive with her but I'll be patient till then. Or burst trying.

Recipe for: MuLlu thenkuzhal



Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2-1/2 cups
Gram flour (besan) - 1/2 cup
Moong dal flour - 1/2 cup
Urad dal flour - 1/8 cup
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
2 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (I used black for contrast)
1 tbsp butter
Water as required
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.



Make a fairly stiff dough, using only as much water as required - the dough should be pliable but not anywhere near runny. Keep covered with a damp cloth.

2. Heat the oil on high. When a small piece of dough dropped in rises to the top immediately, the oil is at the right temperature.

3. Pinch off a portion of dough to fit into the press (use wet fingers to push the dough in, if it's turned out too stiff) and quickly make squiggly round shapes - 3 or 4 at a time, or one large one, as you like.

4. After a minute or so, turn the heat down to medium high and fry the thenkuzhal, turning occasionally, till it is golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and store in airtight tins. This keeps fresh for 3-4 weeks - assuming it doesnt get polished off in the first two days!

Diwali special savoury snack 1 - Thattai

I cant think of an exact translation from the Tamil "Thattai" into English... I guess the closest would be "flatties" or possibly "patties" - because they are patted flat with your fingers into small discs :) Thattais are available all the year round in Indian sweet shops but I think they're much nicer home-made. Some people add bits of coconut (bleagh!) to the dough but - quite apart from my dislike of coconut in certain food items - I think that's a bad idea because the thattais quite soon acquire the flavour of stale coconut. Not good!

Recipe for:Thattai


Ingredients:

4 cups rice flour
1/2 cup urad dal flour (can be ground at home in a spice/coffee grinder, but sieve it to get the finest powder)
2 htbsp chana dal, soaked for 10 minutes in hot water
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
2 tsp white sesame seeds
Salt to taste
10 curry leaves, roughly torn (optional)
Water as required
Oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients into a fairly stiff dough.

2. Lightly grease a clean plastic sheet.

3. Make small balls (slightly smaller than ping-pong ball size) and pat each one lightly into a circle with your fingers to make the thattais. They should be more or less even all over and approximately 1/4-cm thick.



4. Prick the thattais all over with a fork so that they dont puff up during frying.



5. Heat the oil while you are making about a dozen or so thattais. When a piece of bread dropped in the oil sizzles immediately, it is at the right temperature.

6. Carefully peel the thattais off the plastic sheet one by one and slide them into the oil. Fit in as many as your wok will comfortable take.

7. Fry the thattais on medium heat, turning them over occasionally, until they are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon on to absorbent paper.

8. Serve as a snack with tea/coffee, etc. Store in an airtight tin.