Pepper thattai is a famous south Indian snack which is made from rice flour, urad dal flour and chana dal. This thattai is deep fried until golden brown. As the name says crushed black pepper is added to the thattai along with a small amount of hing and curry leaves which enhances the flavor.
The thattai becomes very crispy and spicy and I cannot stop with only one and empties the whole box. It is mostly made as an evening snack but some people even make it during the festivals like diwali, navrathiri and many more.
Pepper Thattai
Thattai is one snack which i was planning to make for quite a while, since krishna jayathy is around the corner i thought it is the perfect time to share it. So i made it today and here is the recipe. I made another version which is spicy and different to this, will share that soon.
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About Pepper Thattai
Thattai is a crunchy snack made with rice flour and urad dal flour flavoured with pepper. This recipe starts with lightly toasted rice and urad dal. Chana dal which has been soaked is added for the shape, and black pepper gives it a unique spicy flavor.
The dough is shaped into flat round discs by hand or using a bowl and a plastic sheet. This recipe does not need any many ingredients and the process for making the thattai is also very simple and easy, you just need your hands and a kadai that's it.
This thattai is fried in hot oil until crispy and crisp, then cooled and kept. Once the thattai is made then it can be stored for more than a week.
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Why This Recipe Works
Lightly roasting the flours gives a rich flavor and removes the raw smell. The urad dal flour adds crunch and a crispy texture. The chana dal combines with the soft dough. Ground black pepper adds a mild spice without giving an overpowering taste. Adding hot oil to the dough helps it cook evenly and improves the shape of the thattai.
Why I Like This Recipe
I enjoy how it starts with simple ingredients and also gives a wonderful taste and texture. The pepper adds a unique flavor and spice that can be felt in every bite of the thattai. It reminded me of my childhood times where my amma used to make this on weekends thinking that it would be used as a snack for the week.
But my sister and I will empty the whole jar within a day and end up getting scolded by amma. Making them still takes me to those days where life was very simple and carefree.
Ingredients
Rice flour - Use homemade or store bought, but make sure to quickly roast it before adding to reduce the raw scent and increase the flavor.
Urad dal flour - This gives structure and shape. This can be quickly roasted and can be used. You can also make it at home by cooking and grinding urad dal.
Chana dal - Soak it for 1-2 hours before adding them into the flour. These stay whole in the dough and give a nice crunch in every bite.
Asafoetida (hing) - This gives a nice flavor and a slight spicy taste. It also helps with digestion.
Black pepper - This is very unique and important for this recipe. Adjust the amount according to your taste, but don't skip it.
Curry leaves, chopped - Use it raw rather than cutting it, they release more oil and taste. They turn crispier when fried.
A pinch of baking soda - It gives the thattai a nice crisp and crunch without getting hard.
Pepper Thattai (Step by Step pictures)
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| Take all your ingredients |
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| Start by soaking chana dal |
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| In a dry pan, add in rice flour |
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| roast it little |
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| remove to a bowl |
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| in the same pan add in urad dal flour |
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| roast it lightly |
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| take it in the same bowl |
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| add in torn curry leaves |
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| add in coarsely ground pepper |
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| soaked chana dal |
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| add in little asafoetida |
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| add in little salt |
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| little baking soda |
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| mix well |
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| add water |
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| and hot oil |
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| mix well to a smooth dough |
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| divide it into small portion |
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| like this |
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| take a plastic sheet, i used my oil cover |
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| place the ball in the centre |
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| cover it up |
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| press the top using a bowl |
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| like this |
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| prick top with fork |
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| remove it carefully |
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| drop in hot oil |
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| let it fry for few mins |
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| now reduce the flame and cook for few more mins |
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| drain them |
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| serve |
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| store it in an air tight container for more than 10 days |
Expert tips
Tip 1: Always toast the flour lightly before mixing them. It will only take a few minutes but the results will be so good. It gives that flavor and shape to the thattai.
Tip 2: Once the dough is ready, make the thattais and fry it within a few minutes. Do not rest the dough for a long time otherwise it will dry out and break.
Storage: Once the thattais are completely cooled, put in a clean, airtight container. These can stay fresh for 10 to 12 days in a dry place.
Serve: You can serve it as an evening snack alongside tea or coffee. Or serve it during festive days along with payasam, sundal, and vadai.
FAQ
Q: Can I skip the chana dal?
You can, but the taste and crunchiness will not be the same . It gives that crispness and crunchiness to the thattais.
Q: Which oil can I use?
Any neutral oil, such as sunflower or peanut can be used to fry the thattais.
Q: Can I bake them instead of frying?
Yes, you can make a healthy version but the crisp will not be as oil fried ones. If you want to try it, then brush it with oil and bake at 180 degrees Celsius until brown.
Q: My thattais are getting softer, why?
It can happen due to two reasons. One is that the dough is too soft, the second is that the oil was not hot enough. Make sure to cook the thattai till golden and let cool completely before keeping.
Variations
1. Spicy Garlic Thattai - If you like the flavor of garlic then, you can add finely minced garlic and ½ teaspoon red chilli powder to make it spicy.
2. Mixed Dal Thattai - To add more crunch and taste, you can blend toor dal, moong dal, and chana dal and add it to the flour.
3. Butter Thattai - Instead of using oil, add 1 tablespoon melted butter to the dough for a gentle, buttery version for a rich flavor.
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📖 Recipe Card
Pepper Thattai Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Flour
- ¼ cup Urad Dal Flour
- 1 tablespoon Split Yellow Chana Dal
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 2 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder coarsely ground
- 2 sprig Curry Leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Oil + for deep frying
- ¼ cup Water to ½ cup
Instructions
- Take rice flour in a dry pan and roast it little, Remove to a bowl.
- Take urad dal flour in the same pan and roast it little. Remove to the same bowl.
- Add in salt, pepper, soaked chana dal, baking soda, curry leaves, asafoetida and water to make a smooth dough.
- Heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, the 1 tblspn of oil and add it to the dough.
- Divide it into 10 equal balls. Spread a plastic sheet, place a ball in the center, cover with plastic wrap and press the top with another flat bowl.
- Prick the top with fork, drop in hot oil and fry for 30 sec or so, now reduce the heat and cook on low heat for a min or so till it gets crispy.
- Drain it and cool it down completely.
- Store it in air tight container and set aside.
- This keeps well for more than 10 days.
Notes
- Use a small steel flat base utensil and press the thattai equally and lightly without breaking the dough.
- To achieve crispy thattais, prick them with a fork before frying to reduce puffing.
- Add hot oil after adding the water to keep the dough soft and flexible to shape and knead.
- If the dough cracks when kneading or when making the thattais, then add an extra teaspoon of water or oil.
- If the dough turns out to be too sticky, add a very little amount of rice flour and adjust it.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @aarthi198689@gmail.com and I'll help as soon as I can.
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