Meena's Taste Mantra

Thenkuzhal | Sev - A crunchy, delectable Tea Time Snack! Diwali Special!

Amma's Thenkuzhal | Sev are famous for their crispiness, lovely colour and the wonderful balance of flavours! She loves to prepare these and share among friends and relatives! Each time she goes visiting relatives out of town she will make ample of these for them to relish!

My fondest memories of these lovely Thenkuzhals are when Amma used to make them during summer vacations! I used to carry some of these when i used to go to play with my friends and all of us would happily munch on these and make a steady bee-line home for some more!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Rice Flour
1 cup Besan | Chick Pea Flour
1 tblsp Homemade Butter
1/8 tsp Ajwain | Carom | Omam seeds
1/8 tsp Jeera | Cumin Seeds
a small Pea size Hing | Asafoetida Compounded
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Water as needed to make dough
3/4 tsp Salt | To taste
For deep fry Oil

THE MAKING OF THENKUZHAL

METHOD

Soak compounded hing in 1 tsp hot water for 1 hour. This has to dissolve in water.

In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, besan, hing water, ajwain, jeera, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
Add water in stages to knead a soft dough. The consistency is like that of Roti dough. Keep aside for 5 minutes.

In a deep kadhai, heat the oil for frying.
Knead the dough gently for a minute,
In a murrukku press, add a portion of this soft dough and when the oil is hot, press to make the Thenkuzhal. To test the oil temperature, add a little bit of dough and if bubbles appear as soon as the drops in the oil, the oil is perfect temperature.
Turn the Thenkuzhal to the other side after 2 minutes and once the bubbles in the oil subside, the Thenkuzhal can be transferred onto a plate.

Once they are of room temperature, store them in an air tight container.
These can last upto 2 months in an air tight container.

This crunchy Thenkuzhal tastes so delicious - spiced with a gentle bit of red chilli and the wonderful aroma of carom and cumin! A perfect tea time | any time snack!

These lovely Thenkuzhals can be made for Diwali and Gokulashtami too!

About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.