Kerala Thaen Mittai

Thaen Mittai, or then mittai, is one of Kerala’s most nostalgic tea shop sweets-a soft, syrupy red candy that once filled glass jars at petty shops and school gates. Despite the name, which means “honey sweet,” this treat contains no honey. Its name comes from its syrupy sweetness that seems to melt on the tongue, a texture loved by generations.

The candy is made with a simple batter of rice flour and urad dal, ground into a thick, slightly coarse paste. After a short rest, the batter is shaped into tiny balls and deep-fried until golden and puffed. The inside remains airy and light, while the outside gets just enough crispness to hold the syrup.

Once fried, the balls are immediately dropped into a pot of warm sugar syrup-not too thick, just enough to coat and soak. There’s no need for one-string consistency here. The mittai absorbs the syrup gradually, becoming soft, juicy, and delightfully sticky.

Instead of artificial red food coloring, a small amount of strained beetroot juice can be added to the batter or syrup to give thaen mittai its traditional red-orange tint-naturally and beautifully. This brings out the same vibrant look we remember from childhood, without the additives.

The final result is a soft, juicy sweet with a slightly crisp skin, soaked in syrup and bursting with old-fashioned flavor. Thaen mittai is best enjoyed fresh-warm, sticky, and sweet-the way it was served from a roadside chayakada or petty shop.

For many, just one bite brings back the joy of school days, pocket-money purchases, and that small, syrupy treasure clutched tightly in hand. A humble sweet, but one filled with flavor-and memory.

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Kerala Thaen Mittai

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Frying Cuisine: Kerala

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 6 hrs Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 6 hrs 10 mins

Cooking Temp: 180  C Servings: 40

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 1 cup Raw Rice
• ¹⁄₄ cup UradDal
• 1 pinch Baking Soda
• 1 pinch Salt
• Beetroot Juice (strained)
• 1 cup Sugar
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Thaen Mittai (also spelled Then Mittayi or Thaen Nilavu) is a traditional Kerala candy that can be made very easily.
2. Soak raw rice and urad dal overnight.
3. Drain the water completely.
4. Grind the raw rice and urad dal into a thick batter using no water or as little water as possible.
5. Add a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of salt, and a little beetroot juice for color, and mix well.
6. Now we will prepare the sugar syrup.
7. Heat a mixture of sugar and water in a pan, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely.
8. Let the syrup thicken to the right consistency.
9. Heat oil in a pan.
10. Shape the batter into your desired shapes and deep-fry them until golden and crispy.
11. Place the fried candies into the sugar syrup and let them soak for about 5 minutes.
12. Once they are done soaking, drain them well.
13. After draining, you can roll the candies in powdered sugar for an extra sweet coating.
14. Store them in an airtight container. Enjoy whenever you like—simple and nostalgic!