KERALA SWEET
Today am going share the nostalgic Kerala sweet. This candy is sold in the village side tea stalls (petty shops). This sweet is popularly known as thaen mittai or thenaaru or thaen unda or thennilavu etc. 'Thaen' in malayalam means honey. But there is no honey inside this candy. The sugar syrup which oozes out from this candy tastes like honey and so this sweet got its name. I have tried two different recipes showing how to make thaen mittai recipe. But I failed to get that nostalgic taste. Finally, I got the right thenaru recipe with the right texture and taste in my third attempt. Sugar syrup consistency is the important factor for a perfect sweet. Each sweet has different consistency for the sugar syrup. Most of the Indian sweets are based on sugar or jaggery. For a perfect sweet, you have to follow the perfect syrup consistency too. There are different stages for sugar syrup starting from Thin syrup consistency and ends with hard ball consistency. The different stages are Thin string consistency (not for sweets), Sticky syrup consistency (eg. Gulab jamun), Half string consistency( eg. jalebi, thaen nilavu), One string consistency (eg.badusha, kaju katli), two string consistency (eg. boondhi laddu), three string consistency, softball consistency (eg. adhirasam), hardball consistency (eg. peanut chikkis ). While you checking the consistency of sugar syrup, please switch off the flame and then check or else it will reach the next consistency level. Here for this recipe, you need HALF STRING CONSISTENCY. This consistency of sugar syrup is just in between sticky syrup consistency (take a little syrup in a spoon and check with your forefinger by sliding thump finger over it. You will feel slightly sticky) and one string consistency (when tested with your forefinger and thumps, you will get a thin long string ). And so while you reach the sticky consistency, you must be very careful. YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE FLAME BEFORE REACHING ONE STRING CONSISTENCY. That is the perfect half string sugar syrup consistency (while testing with your forefinger and thumps, it strings but cut off immediately) which is required for making perfect then mittai. The syrup must be warm while sliding the balls to it. You can heat the syrup slightly (if it cools) before adding the jalebi balls.
Other sweet recipes
INGREDIENTS (1 cup = 250 ml)
Please take the correct measurement for the perfect thean nilavu
Idli rice - 1 cup
Whole urad daal (uzhunnu) - quarter cup, leveled(do not add more)
Baking powder - quarter tsp
Orange-red food color - quarter tsp or less (i added less only)
Salt - to balance the taste (quarter tsp)
Powdered sugar or sugar - 2 tsp (to coat the thaen mittai)
Oil for deep frying
Sugar syrup (it must reach half string consistency)
Half string consistency means - it strings but cut off immediately
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - half cup
PREPARATION
Here is the video showing how to make thaen mittai or thenaaru
- Soak the rice and urad dal in water for 3 hours (do not keep it for more). Rinse it well and drain it. Grind it to a smooth mixture by adding little water (do not add more water while grinding).
- Transfer it to a bowl. Add salt and baking powder. Mix well. Then add the food color. Mix very well to combine. Let it set aside until we make the sugar syrup (do not keep for more).
- Combine sugar and water in a bowl. Heat it and mix well until sugar dissolves. Let it boils until HALF STRING CONSISTENCY. That means the consistency in between sticky consistency and one string consistency (which I explained in detail above, pls check the introduction). Switch off the flame once you reach the half string consistency (take a little syrup in a spoon after 5 minutes of boiling sugar syrup and check with your forefinger by sliding thump finger over it. If it strings but cut off immediately, then it is the half string consistency and switch off the flame before you reach the one string consistency.)
- Heat oil in a wok or non stick pan. Dip your hands in water and then using your hand, take a little batter and drop it in the hot oil (the oil must be medium hot while dropping the balls or else it will not puff up). Then fry it over low flame until crispy (the crust must be crispy(will take around 3 to 4 minutes depending upon the size)
- When done, drain and transfer the balls to a plate and then immediately to the WARM SYRUP (slightly heat the syrup if it is cool and be careful not to reach one string consistency too).
- Turn the balls in the sugar syrup well and let it stay there for 4 minutes (do not keep for more ).
- Then remove the balls from the syrup to a plate and sprinkle sugar crystals over it after 5 minutes(i just sprinkled over only few honey sugar candy only). Toss well to coat.
- Can store in an airtight container for a week.
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NOTES
- Do not add more water to the mixture. Add only a little water while grinding (i used less than half a cup of water). The batter must be thick.
- .Do not skip the baking powder, if so u will get a hard honey sugar candy.
- The oil must be hot while dropping the balls and then reduce the flame to medium-low and fry until crisp (3 to 4 minutes). If the balls are not fried until crisp, then the mittai looks soggy after dipping it in sugar syrup.
- And finally, as I mentioned above, the sugar syrup should not be too thick (if so, it will not absorb the sugar properly)
