Who doesn’t love a fried, crispy snack? A very popular Chettinad snack, Thenkuzhal is served at most festivities and is commonly paired with tea or coffee.
Dry roast urad dhal 
Blend and sift into a fine powder 
Add powder to a mixing bowl 
Mix in rice flour, butter, and salt 
Use water to form a dough 
Roll into elongated balls 
Heat oil in a frying pan 
Add dough into thenkuzhal press 
Assemble the press 
Press thenkuzhal into hot oil 
Turn them over and cook 
Transfer to plate lined with paper towels
Chettinad Thenkuzhal
Who doesn't love a fried, crispy snack? A very popular Chettinad snack, Thenkuzhal is served at most festivities and is commonly paired with tea or coffee.
Servings: 30 pieces
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice flour
- 1 cup whole urad dhal
- 2 cups water (adjust as needed for dough)
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add urad dhal to a frying pan.
- Dry roast on medium low flame for 5 minutes or until the dhal becomes aromatic. Remove from flame and cool once done.
- Use a blender to blend the dhal into a fine powder.
- Next, using a sifter, sieve the flour. Grind the remaining lumps again and continue until all the dhal has been sieved.
- Add 1 cup of the ground urad dhal and rice flour to a mixing bowl.
- Now, add butter and salt. Use water as needed to form a soft dough.
- Roll the dough into small elongated balls and cover with a lid.
- Then, heat oil in a frying pan. Once hot, assemble the thenkuzhal press with the elongated dough and press the thenkuzhal in to the hot oil in a circular motion.
- To check if the oil is hot enough, add a small piece of the dough into the frying pan. If the dough gradually rises to the top of the pan, the oil is ready.
- Let this cook and carefully turn over to cook on the other side. Bubbles may form while cooking.
- Once the bubbles have stopped forming, remove the thenkuzhal from the oil.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the thenkuzhal to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat this process using the rest of the dough.
- Allow for the thenkuzhal to cool and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not comfortable directly pressing the thenkuzhal in to the hot oil, you can make the thenkuzhal on a cutting board or on the back of the slotted spoon. Then, carefully transfer the thenkuzhal from the cutting board or spoon into the hot oil to cook.
- See below for additional varieties or sides that go well with this dish.
