Manoharam brings back memories of festival celebrations and family gatherings. This beloved traditional sweet combines the nutty flavor of rice and urad dal with the rich sweetness of jaggery. The crispy, spiral-shaped treats are made using a special tool called a thenkuzhal maker, which creates beautiful patterns. Once fried to golden perfection and coated in warm jaggery syrup, these treats become irresistible little balls of joy. Making Manoharam at home fills your kitchen with wonderful aromas and creates lasting memories with loved ones.
About the Recipe
You should try this Manoharam recipe because it’s a wonderful way to connect with traditional cooking methods. The combination of homemade rice-dal flour and pure jaggery creates a much more flavorful result than store-bought versions. This recipe teaches you how to work with different textures – from creating the right dough consistency to achieving the perfect jaggery syrup thickness. The crispy exterior and sweet coating make each bite satisfying. Plus, these treats stay fresh for several days, making them perfect for sharing with neighbors and friends.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Manoharam recipe gives you that perfect balance of textures you crave in a good sweet. The outside stays wonderfully crispy while the jaggery coating adds just the right amount of sweetness. What makes this recipe special is how the rice and urad dal combination creates a unique nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the caramel notes of jaggery. Making these at home means you control the sweetness level and oil quality. The process itself is quite therapeutic – from shaping the dough balls to watching them transform into golden spirals in hot oil. Your family will be amazed when you serve these homemade treats that taste just like the ones from traditional sweet shops.
Cooking Tips
Sieve your flour well to avoid lumps in the dough. The dough should be firm but pliable – not too wet or it won’t hold its shape. Test your oil temperature with a small piece first. The spirals should sizzle gently, not violently. When making jaggery syrup, don’t let it get too thick or it will harden quickly. Work fast when mixing the syrup with fried pieces, and keep your hands well-greased with ghee to prevent sticking while shaping the final balls.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe serves 6-8 people and takes about 2 hours total preparation time. Serve Manoharam at room temperature as a dessert or snack with tea or coffee. These treats taste best within the first few days when they retain their crispiness. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to two weeks, though they may lose some crispiness. You can refresh stored Manoharam by lightly warming them before serving.
Similar Recipes
- Chakli (savory version using similar technique)
- Jangiri (orange-colored sweet spirals)
- Achu Murukku (rice flour spirals)
- Adhirasam (jaggery-sweetened rice patties)
- Kozhukattai (steamed rice dumplings)
Manoharam
Ingredients
- 4 cups Raw Rice
- 1/2 cup Whole Urad Dal
- 250 ml Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt (or as per taste)
- 250 gms Jaggery (powdered)
- 1 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
- Combine the rice and dal together.
- Grind them in a flour mill to a fine powder.
- Sieve the flour and add salt.
- Gradually add water and mix well.
- Make small balls of the mixture and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium flame.
- Add the prepared balls to a thenkuzhal maker and press over the hot oil.
- Fry till light golden and remove. Break them into small pieces and transfer to a plate.
- Gently boil the jaggery in a cup of water till it dissolves completely.
- Strain the jaggery water and boil till it is slightly thick.
- Pour this over the broken thenkuzhals.
- Grease your hands with ghee and shape them to small-medium balls.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the flour mixture ahead of time?
Yes, you can grind and store the rice-dal flour in an airtight container for up to a month. Just add salt and water when you’re ready to make the dough. This actually saves time on cooking day and the flavors develop nicely.
What if I don’t have a thenkuzhal maker?
You can use a chakli maker or even a piping bag with a star tip. The shapes might look slightly different, but the taste will be just as delicious. Some people even make small flat patties instead of spirals.
How do I know when the jaggery syrup is ready?
The syrup should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily. If you drop a small amount in cold water, it should form a soft ball. Don’t let it get too thick or it will become hard when cooled.
Why are my Manoharam balls falling apart?
This usually happens when the jaggery syrup is too thin or the fried pieces are too hot when mixed. Let the fried spirals cool slightly and make sure your syrup has the right consistency before combining them together.
