Thattai is a popular South Indian snack made from rice flour and spices. It is a crispy and savory snack that is typically served during festivals or as a tea time snack. Thattai is often prepared by deep frying a dough made from rice flour, urad dal flour (split black gram), and spices such as red chili powder, asafoetida, and curry leaves. The dough is shaped into small discs or circles and then deep fried until golden brown and crispy. Thattai can be enjoyed on its own or with chutney or a cup of hot tea.
Thattai
6
servings10
minutes20
minutesLooking for a delicious snack? Try this crispy and flavorful recipe for homemade thattai. Made with rice flour, spices, and deep-fried to perfection!
Ingredients
Rice flour – 2 cups
Urad dhal flour – 1/4 cup
Red Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder – ½ teaspoon
Butter or ghee – 2 tablespoons
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Bengal gram dhal – 2 tablespoons
Oil for deep frying
Directions
- Start by soaking the Bengal gram dhal for 1 to 2 hours.
- In a large bowl, sift together rice flour and urad dhal powder. Add the soaked Bengal gram dhal, chili powder, asafetida, butter, and salt. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Slowly add water, kneading as you go, until a pliable dough forms.
- Lightly grease a sheet of plastic wrap. Take a small portion of the dough and place it on the sheet. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a thin, round shape. Use a fork to prick the dough in two or three places; this ensures it stays flat while frying and doesn’t puff up like a puri.
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully slide in four or five of the prepared thattai rounds. Fry them until they turn golden brown and become crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the thattai, allowing any excess oil to drain off.
- Place the fried thattai on a paper towel-lined plate to cool before transferring them to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
- For a garlic flavor, you can replace red chili powder with a paste made from grinding 3 to 4 red chilies and 5 to 6 garlic flakes. Mix this into the dough.
- If you’re making a large batch, consider grinding a mixture of raw rice, pottukadalai, and lightly fried urad dhal at a flour mill. In this case, for every cup of rice, add half a cup of pottukadalai and one tablespoon of fried urad dhal.