Thenkuzhal/Murukku

This post has been lying in my draft since Diwali and finally posted it today.Murukku is a traditional snack which prepared for festival especially Diwali.There are lot of variants in the murukku recipe and this is my mom's recipe,uses home made rice flour. I used the store bought rice flour and here is the recipe for crunchy and yummy murukku....



Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Rice flour	4cups
Urad dhal	1cup
Roasted gram dhal(pottukadalai)	1/4cup
Cumin seeds	1tbs
Butter	5tbs
Asafoetida	1/4tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	for frying

Method


                 Dry roast the urad dhal to a nice golden brown color and powder it in the blender and sieve it(used store bought urad flour and roasted it),powder the pottukadali and sieve it.

Take a large mixing bowl and mix rice flour,urad flour,roasted gram dhal flour,cumin seeds,salt and butter.Make a smooth  and stiff dough with water.
Heat the pan with oil and fill the murukku press with the prepared dough using the round eyed disc.Squeeze it on a ladle or small plates.
Drop it carefully in the oil once the oil becomes hot enough.Cook both the sides till the sizzling sound stops and drain it on a paper towel.

Once it becomes cool store it in an air tight container.

• Instead of cumin seeds,sesame seeds can be used.
• If you are making large quantities make the dough in batches otherwise the color may turn dark.
• While dropping the murukku the oil should be hot,then reduce the temperature to medium.

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Masala Kuzhambhu

This is a spicy,tangy and flavorful kuzhambhu which is my grand mother signature recipe.She used to make this one with the fresh field beans(mochai) and drumstick,used the stone  grinder(ammi) to grind the coconut.Since I don't get the fresh field beans here,made it with chick peas  and goes very well with rice as well as idly,dosa.Now on to the recipe....

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chick peas/white channa	1cup(cooked)
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Tomato	2nos.(medium size)
Garlic	3 pods
Drumstick	1no.
Red Chilly powder	11/4tsp
Coriander powder	21/2tsp
Turmeric powder	1/8tsp
Tamarind paste	3/4tsp diluted in 1/4 cup of water
Salt	to taste
Fennel seeds	1/2tsp
Cloves/lavangam	3nos.
Cinnamon	1 inch piece
Star anise	1no.
Curry leaves	1sprig
Coriander leaves	to garnish
Oil	1tbs

To grind

Ingredient	Quantity
Coconut(grated)	4tbs
Fennel seeds	1/2tsp
Poppy seeds(kasakasa)	1/2tsp
Garlic	1clove
Ginger	a small piece

Method

                                   Chop the onion,garlic and tomatoes to fine pieces,cut the drumstick to 2 inch pieces.Cook the chick peas in the pressure cooker with a pinch of salt.Grind the ingredients given to fine paste and keep aside.
Heat the pan with the oil,crackle the fennel seeds,cloves and cinnamon,add the onion,garlic,curry leaves.Saute till the onion becomes transparent.Once the onion is done add the tomato and cook until mushy.

Now add the drumstick pieces and saute it,then add the powders and fry it for a while and add 1/2 cup of water.Let it cook till the drumstick gets cooked and tender.

Add the tamarind and let it cook till the raw smell goes off.Add the ground paste and 1/2 cup of water,cook it for another 5-7 mins.Now add the cooked chick peas and allow it to cook for one boil.Finally add the coriander leaves and turn off the stove.

Masala Kuzhambhu is ready.Serve it with rice or idly,dosa.

• The consistency can be adjusted according to the preference,I make it thick for rice whereas for  dosa  bit watery.
• If the tomatoes are sour enough then no need of tamarind paste.
• Other veggies such as brinjal,radish,potato can also be used.
• Instead of grinding the ginger and garlic with the coconut,a tsp of ginger&garlic paste can also be used.

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