Chettinad Thenkuzhal Murukku Recipe

Its flavor will remind you of the traditional thenkuzhal dish that our grandmothers used to make without butter. You can add melted butter or ghee to make soft murukku, but the color of the murukku will change. Finally, you can make this murukku with or without butter. You can also attempt the same recipe with store-bought idiyappam flour, although the results may vary significantly. Friends, try this simple, delicious Chettinad thenkuzhal recipe for Diwali and have fun!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup – 250ml Raw rice
• Pacharisi ( IR20 ) – 1 cup ( Maavu arisi) 
• White urad dal – 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Salt – as needed Ghee – 1 tbsp (Optional, I did not use) Water – to knead the dough

HOW TO MAKE CHETTINAD THENKUZHAL

1. Drain all of the water. Cover with a white cloth. Dry for a day or two in the shade.
2. After the rice has dried fully, crush it to a fine powder. Set aside the sieve.
3. Dry roast white, round urad dal till hot without altering its color. It should be powdered and sieved.
4. Mix in the rice flour, salt, asafetida, and melted ghee (if using). Pour in the necessary amount of water.
5. Produce a smooth dough. Heat the oil for deep frying. Murukku should be pressed and shaped. Put a drop of oil in.
6. Deep-fried both sides until the bubbles stop. Remove from the oil, drain, and keep in a box.
7. Chettinad thenkuzhal is complete. It lasts for a month.

CHETTINAD THENKUZHAL RECIPE

•  As a first step, make Chettinad thenkuzhal murukku maavu. Wash the maavu pacharisi (IR20 raw rice) and soak it in enough water for 1 to 2 hours this. Drain the water and place the soaked rice on cotton cloth in the shade for one day, depending on the weather. Do not dry your clothes in the sun. The rice should be fully dry. Alternatively, you can simply bake the rice till puffed and then ground it.
• Once the rice has dried, grind it in a mixie to a fine powder. Sieve in a large plate, then re-grind the coarse ones until smooth. Repeat until all of the rice is finely crushed. 
• Dry roast white, round urad dal until hot. Roast it patiently without allowing the color to change. Murukku does not turn out white if the dal is roasted till golden brown. Continue to combine and toss the dal. When the dal becomes hot, take it from the heat and set it aside to cool. 
• Grind the dal to a smooth powder. Sieve and combine with rice flour. Mix in the salt, hing, and melted ghee (if adding). Combine thoroughly. Then add the water as needed to form a smooth dough. It’s fine if the dough is a little sticky.
• Fill the murukku press halfway with dough ( I sealed 2 holes with cello tape inside and outside). Heat the oil for deep frying. Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a bit of dough into it. Maintain a low to medium flame and compress the murukku directly over the oil OR press the murukku in a greased ladle or a sheet as shown in the picture. Then drop it into the boiling oil. You can place 3–4 murukku in each batch. Flip it to cook both sides. Cook till the bubbles stop completely.
• Maintain white in color if fried in medium heat with tossing as needed. If you put ghee in the dough, the color may vary significantly. Take the murukku out of the oil. Using a paper towel, blot the excess oil. Repeat this process in batches. Chettinad thenkuzhal is complete. Allow the murukku to cool before storing it in a box. It keeps for a month. Enjoy! 

Note: 

• You can wash the rice, dry it in the shade, and grind it in a mill, or you can dry roast it till puffed and then ground it. Both are effective.
• Rice to urad dal ratio is 2.5:1. Some recipes also call for a ratio of 3:1.
• The use of ghee or butter helps to give the murukku a soft texture, but the color may not be pure white.
• If you believe the oil has become too hot, turn off the flame and allow it to cool. Then on to the next batch.

Chettinad thenkuzhal murukku is ready for consumption! Try it out for Diwali.