Mixture / மிக் ஷர்

Mixture 

 மிக் ஷர்

Ingredients:

Basically for mixture, rice flour, besan flour, chili powder are needed. 

The proportion varies for each of the components that goes into the mixture. 

Besan flour ( கடலை மவு)

Rice flour ( அரிசி மாவு)

Fried split channa dhal ( பொட்டுக்கடலை மாவு)

Maida/ Plain flour , and powdered sugar ( for biscuits) ( மைதா, வெண்ணெய், பொடித்த சர்க்கரை - பிஸ்கட் செய்ய ) 

Butter ( வெண்ணெய் )

Turmeric powder ( மஞ்சள் தூள்)

Chili powder ( மிளகாய் தூள்) 

Asafoetida ( பெருங்காயம்)

Salt to taste ( தேவையான அளவு உப்பு) 

Flat thick puffed rice ( கெட்டி அவல் )

Fried split channa dhal ( பொட்டுக்கடலை )

Groundnuts ( நிலக்கடலை )

Cashewnuts ( முந்திரிப் பருப்பு)

Curry leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை) 

Oil for deep frying ( பொரிப்பதற்கு எண்ணெய்) 

1) Murukku

Mix rice flour and fried channa dhal powder (potukadalai) in the ratio of 3:1
Make a smooth dough after adding half of the required salt. Heat a tablespoon of oil and pour the hot oil over the dough and knead well. The hot oil will give a crispness to the murukku. 

Heat oil, once the oil is hot enough, an important step is to turn the flame to medium as this will give uniform frying of the murukku. Also, the colour is retained and the murukku is crisp. 

As the bubble ceases you will hear the crispness while turning the murukku.
Now is the time to remove.

Remove from oil using a drainer mesh.
which is better than the  normal drainer with holes 

Drain on to a kitchen towel.

Once cool, break into bite-size and keep aside.

2) Ribbon pakoda

Mix rice flour and besan flour in the ratio of 3:1. Make a dough after adding 1/2tsp chili powder and salt. Finally, add a tablespoon of hot oil and knead well.           

Fill the murukku press with the flat hole disc at the bottom that is appropriate for the ribbon shape.

Press directly over hot oil. Fry on medium flame turning frequently for uniform frying. 

Remove and drain on kitchen towel.

Break into bite-size and keep aside.

3)Omapodi

For omapodi that goes in the mixture, omam(ajwain) is not added. Besan flour is mixed with half a spoon of chili powder and salt. Knead well after adding a tablespoon of hot oil. 

Fry on a medium flame using the press' disc with small holes in it. Drain and keep aside.

4) Kara boondhi

For 1 cup of besan flour use one cup of water or slightly more. Add a pinch of chili powder and salt. Make a smooth thin batter without lumps. Use a whisk if you need it. Hold a dry perforated ladle just above the hot oil. As usual turn down the flame. With a ladle that can hold some substantial amount of batter, pour over the perforated ladle, spread the batter in the same direction and same speed. It has to be done quickly. 

Turn the boondhi and fry uniformly. 

Remove and drain. Continue with the rest of the batter.

In the picture above, the one on the left side is round fluffy and crisp boondhi and other one is flat. The reason being the oil was not hot enough. Second reason is shown below. Remove the batter completely before you move to the next batch to fry. 

If the batter is left behind, as you pour and spread the next batch, the droplets fallen will not be round due to the clog. 

Wipe away the batter and clean the ladle. 

                                If the boondhis have tail then the batter is thick, adjust with a spoon or two of water. Test by frying a few boondhis.
If the boondhis are flat then the batter is thin. Add a teaspoon of flour, test again by frying.
Adjust the consistency of your batter, over practice you will attain perfect boondhis.
Also, the boondhis should cover the whole oil surface. If you do not get perfect round boondhis, it is ok. Professionals do that everyday or very frequently. So it does not matter if our boondhis are not in perfect shapes. But make sure the oil is hot enough and the boondhis are dropped quickly for crisp ones.
5) Puffed rice

Heat oil, turn to medium flame. Add a handful of puffed rice to a wire mesh basket and lower it into the hot oil. Turn lightly. Once they are fried, remove and drain.  This is done very quickly.

6) Plain Bisuits:

For one and a half cups of Plain flour add half a cup of powdered white sugar. 

Melt two tablespoons of butter and pour over the flour mixture.

Knead well

Roll a ball size of  dough. Flatten it. Cut into small diamond shapes.

Cut into small size pieces. Because as you fry it swells up due to the butter / fat in it. 

Fry, drain and keep aside. 

Once the main ingredients are fried. Fry peanuts, remove skin and break into halves and keep aside. Split the cashew nuts into halves and fry. Keep aside. Fry the fried split channa dhal and keep aside. Lastly, fry the curry leaves in hot oil using the wire mesh basket. ( the picture is not taken)

                  

The main components that go into the mixture.

Fried nuts - 
cashew, peanuts and fried channa dhal

All the components are fried and ready for mixing. In a dry plate mix a spoon of chili powder, 1 spoon of salt and half a spoon of asafoetida.

Mix all the fried ingredients and toss. Sprinkle the chili powder, salt mixture and toss again. Taste and adjust for salt and spiciness.

The mixture is ready to be stored and for anytime munching. 

Sharing is caring. Packed for Deepavali distribution to friends.

My Notes:

A popular and delicious south Indian mixture recipe is shared here. It is a favourite of all, even with friends of other races which I have found out through my non-Indian friends here in Singapore. There are a few types of mixtures but this takes the first place among all. 

Murukku can be prepared using the readymade murukku mix available in the market. For each of the ingredients change the oil to fry. Thick puffed rice is best suited rather than the thin variety. 

With so many components go into it, the preparation is a long, time-consuming process but worth the time. The homemade mixture is in no way compared with the shop-bought one. Cooked with love.  

One of the best mixture I have had tasted were at Sholavandan during Deepavalis. A chef is booked to make many delicacies at home for Deepavali. The best were wheat halwa and mixture. We, the kids, love to hover over the chef to watch the preparations. Amusement at that age or the passion for cooking at that age itself!

 Later in Chennai in mid 80'  a very famous sweet and snacks shop at Adyar brought back my childhood memories with their taste. 

After Marriage, during one Deepavali at Chennai, I had tried to make mixture with my Mother in law' help and got appreciation from my father right away that it brought back his home town memory. What else one requires for all the hours of effort taken.

After moving to Singapore,  My sons' love for homemade mixture drives me to make during Deepavali without default and occasionally at another time of the year. Not a perfect one always but definitely it will pass with good grades. 😀