Munthiri Kothu Recipe – Sharmis Passions

Munthiri Kothu is a special sweet perfect for festivals or when you feel like having a little healthy treat at home. It is made like small balls of powdered green gram and rice mixed with jaggery syrup, and then fried till golden brown. This sweet is so comforting and has a unique flavor and texture which makes it hard to resist.

It is protein rich and has a lovely mild sweetness. The green gram gives a nutty, earthy flavor while the jaggery adds a rich caramel like taste. I make this often for my family because it is not only tasty but also feels bit wholesome compared to some other festive sweets we make.

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About Munthiri Kothu

Munthiri Kothu is a traditional South Indian sweet. The name means “bunch of cashews” because when these little fried balls are dropped together in oil, they sometimes stick and look like a small cluster of cashew nuts. Even though it is deep fried, the inside stays soft and dense with slight grainy feel from the green gram, and the outside has a crispy thin coating that is a bit savory.

Munthiri Kothu is a unique festival sweet from Kanyakumari District for Christmas. Munthiri Kothu is all about its texture. Inside it’s kind of like a soft fudge, sweet and little dense, and the outside has that light crunchy bite that makes it more tasty. The contrast makes every bite enjoyable. It is usually made during festive times and is a favorite in my house for its simple but rich taste.

The taste is a nice mix of sweet and nutty. The jaggery gives a deep, rich sweetness which is different from sugar and the cardamom adds a beautiful fragrance. Some people like to add little dry ginger powder to the jaggery syrup for mild spice, but that is optional.

I usually make this on weekends. Kids like to help me roll the balls, and it turns into a fun family activity. It is always a hit and vanishes quickly from the plate as soon I make it.

Munthiri Kothu is a healthy, mild sweet made by frying balls of powdered green gram, rice that are blend with jaggery syrup & coated with rice flour batter. Munthiri Kothu is a traditional recipe made for festivals and protein packed too.

First I came to know about this sweet through my x-office collegue. When I heard the name, first I thought its a rich sweet made with whole bunch of cashews(as we call cashews as mundhiri in tamil) so asked her for the recipe.

Muntiri Kothu Video

Munthiri Kothu Ingredients

• Whole green gram dal – I use this as the main thing because it gives nice nutty taste and full of protein. You can try moong dal or urad dal too, but green gram gives that proper old style taste.
• Jaggery – I have used this for sweetness and deep caramel like color. You can use brown sugar as a substitute but jaggery is better for traditional taste.
• Grated coconut – I added this for little extra moisture and a light chewiness inside. Fresh coconut works best but frozen one can be used in need.
• Cardamom – I have added for fragrance and warm sweet flavor. You can also use powder or crushed pods.
• Oil – I just regular oil used for frying till balls turn golden and crispy. Any neutral oil like sunflower or groundnut works okay.
• Rice flour – This is for making the batter to coat outside. It gives a thin crispy layer. I used store bought flour but homemade rice flour is also fine.
• Turmeric powder – Just a pinch to give bright yellow color for the batter. It doesn’t change taste much.

Why This Recipe Works

• This recipe is simple to make and uses only basic ingredients.
• It is protein rich so feels little wholesome as a snack.
• The nutty flavor and soft inside with crispy outside is very tasty.
• You can make the balls in advance and fry them later.
• You can adjust sweetness according to you preference.

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How to make Munthiri Kothu Recipe Step by Step

1.Soak jaggery in warm water(till immersing level) , crush it well. Then heat it up until it is slightly thick (no string consistency needs to be checked). Strain and keep aside.(I made more than above mentioned quantity for storing purpose).

2.Dry roast green gram till golden brown. Cool down then transfer to mixer.

3.Grind it to a coarse(rice rava texture) mixture, Set aside. Dry roast coconut till golden brown, Set aside to cool.

4.Grind it once. Now in a mixing bowl, add both the mixtures along with cardamom powder. Mix well.

5.Take jaggery syrup in a pan and heat it up, when its thick honey like in consistency, add green gram and coconut mixture and switch off. Slowly mix it up.

6.Keep mixing till the jaggery syrup is coated well. When its still warm make small lemon sized balls. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

7.Meanwhile make the outer coating batter. In a mixing bowl take rice flour along with turmeric powder and salt. Add water little by little  to form a smooth batter slightly thinner than idli batter consistency.

8.Take a ball dip in the batter, roll it so that the batter coats on all sides. Heat oil in pan – when the oil is hot , drop the balls carefully. You can combine 2-3 balls and fry to get a bunch.

9.Fry until golden, this may take 2-3mins.I fried it in batches. Drain in tissue paper.

10.Kothu means bunch the sweet is made into balls in bunches hence the name. You can either make individual medium sized balls or make bunches like these and fry them. Updated these pics with bunches as one of my reader asked me to.

Enjoy munthiri kothu!

Expert Tips

• Resting time helps – I mostly keep the balls resting for about 30 minutes before frying, this way they set well and won’t break in oil.
• Jaggery syrup check – The syrup should be thick and sticky like honey. I just drop a little in cold water, if it stays in shape and doesn’t dissolve then it’s ready.
• Batter thickness – Keep the batter a little thinner than idli batter, this way you get a nice thin and crispy coating instead of a thick one that hides the flavor inside.
• Fry in small bunches – Drop only 2–3 balls at a time in hot oil, that way they don’t crowd or stick too much. When they stick together a bit, it gives that fun “kothu” cluster look.
• Cool before storing – Let them cool down fully on a plate or wire rack before you store. If you pack when hot, the steam will make the coating soft and you’ll lose that lovely crunch.

Serving and Storage

Serve Munthiri Kothu warm or at room temperature with tea or coffee. It is good for festivals or evening snacks. You can store it in an airtight box for 2–3 weeks at room temperature. Also nice for lunchbox snacks.

FAQS

1.Can I use store bought rice flour?

Yes, you can. Idiyappam flour also works for the coating.

2.Can I skip coconut?

Yes, but it will change taste and texture slightly. Coconut gives moisture and mild chewiness inside.

3.How to check jaggery syrup?

Drop little syrup in cold water. If it can be rolled, it is ready.

4.Why are my balls breaking in oil?

Mostly because jaggery syrup was not thick enough to bind.

5.Can I make ahead?

Yes, roll the balls ahead and store in fridge. Let them come to room temperature before frying.

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