So yesterday my neighbor asked me about Tamil birthday party food ideas for her kid’s party. I totally blanked at first. Needed a game plan fast.
Starting From Scratch
First, I hit the local Indian grocery store. Grabbed bags of rice flour, urad dal flour, chana dal, and those small, dried green chilies. Forgot semolina at first, had to run back in. Annoying. Saw fresh curry leaves and grabbed those too – smelled amazing.
Back home, kitchen counter looked like a flour bomb exploded. Pulled out my trusty big mixing bowl – the stainless steel one. Started with Chakli/Murukku. Mixed rice flour, urad dal flour, some roasted gram flour, salt, cumin seeds, and butter together. Added warm water bit by bit. Kneaded it like crazy until it stopped sticking. Took longer than I thought. Wrist hurt.
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The Dough Journey:
- Flour everywhere – sticky disaster.
- Added water slowly – finally got a smooth ball.
- Tested it: pinched a piece – bounced back okay.
Filled the murukku press with star mold. Squeezed spirals straight into hot oil. First batch? Burned fast. Oil too hot. Adjusted. Waited for tiny bubbles before putting the next batch in. Took a few tries. Got some golden, crunchy spirals. Felt good! Let them cool on paper towels.
The Vadai Challenge
Soaked chana dal overnight. Next morning, drained it. Grinding time. Used my old mixer-grinder. Pulsed soaked dal with dried red chilies, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger chunks, asafoetida, and salt. Don’t overgrind – keep it coarse. Made little round patties, hole in the middle. Fingers messy.
Frying: Medium hot oil. Dropped patties in carefully. Splash! Hot oil warning! Fried until golden brown and crispy outside. Drained them next to the murukku. Tasted one. Little heavy on chili, but neighbor’s family loves spicy. Called that a win.
Sweet Stuff & Assembly
Saw store-bought boondi laddoo. Smart move. Also got packets of small samosas and paneer cubes for sticks. Made a quick fruit salad – kids need something light.
Set up party trays: Murukku spirals piled high on one tray. Vadai fanned out on another with mint chutney dip in a small bowl in the middle. Boondi laddoo piled on a small plate. Samosas warm on a napkin. Paneer cubes and fruit salad in bowls. Plates, forks, napkins nearby.
Party Time Feedback
Kids attacked the boondi laddoo first. Samosas and paneer disappeared fast. Adults hovered near the murukku and vadai. People kept asking, “You made this?” Yep! A few got hooked on the spicy vadai. Told them about the grinding step. Chakli crunch was a big hit. Messy counter, sore feet, totally worth it. Got new requests already. Need more counter space!