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.
Kerala Thaen Mittai
Ingredients
Instructions
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Thaen Mittai or Then Mittayi or Thaen Nilavu is a traditional kerala candy. Which can be made very easily.
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Soak Raw Rice and Urad dal overnight.
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Drain water completely
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Prepare thick batter with Raw rice and Urad Dal with no water or minimum water
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Add a pinch Baking soda, a pinch Salt, and Beetroot juice and mix well
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Now we will make Sugar syrup
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Head Sugar water mix in a pan
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Stir continuously till all sugar dissolved
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Let the syrup thicken enough
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Heat oil in pan
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Shape the batter in to desired shape and deep fry it.
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Put the candies in sugar syrup for 5 minutes. Let it drain.
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When it drain completely, you can roll them in to powdered sugar
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Keep it in an air tight container. Eat it when you want. simple!!