Thattai (Indian food)

Thattai (Tamil - தட்டை) is a deep fried snack from Tamil Nadu made with rice flour and commonly prepared during Pongal and Deepavali festival. It can be salted or sweet. It is known as Nippattu in Karnataka and Chekkalu in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana

Description

Thattai is a popular snack from the South Indian regions of India and in Sri Lanka. Typically made for festivals and holidays such as Krishna Jayanthi and Deepavali, this treat can also consumed throughout the year.^[2] The Thattai has been idolized to be the perfect snack during teatime throughout the monsoon seasons.^[3] Thattai can be bought in specialty sweets and bakery shops, but many choose to make the delicious treat at home. The process of making Thattai can be time consuming, but it is easy to make, especially when compared to other traditional snacks.^[4]

Known to resemble the shape of a plate or disc, the Thattai is also called Thattu (plate) Vadai.^[5] The physical description of the Thattai is to be flat, round, and 2 inches in diameter.^[3] The snack has a golden brown colour once prepared, as it is fried in oil. They are made to be crispy and savory, but spice level can be adjusted accordingly. Ingredients for the Thattai can vary as the snack differs in texture and taste across South Indian regions.^[2] Thattai Vadai is also popular among the Sri Lankan Tamil community, where it is known as Paruthithurai Vadai, named after the Northern most Sri Lankan village Paruthithurai (also referred to as Point Pedro) where the snack originated from.^[1]

To successfully make Thattai, it approximately takes four hours, as preparation time is 3.5 hours and cooking time is 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cooking time can vary depending on how many Thattai are to be made.

Ingredients

The typical ingredients are rice flour, urad daal, peanuts, fried gram, chana daal and other seasoning which are mixed in their respective proportions and deep fried in oil. It is available in various flavors like Butter, Ginger and Masala.^[6] Salem in Tamil Nadu is known for its 'Thattuvadai sets' which is made using the Thattai (like a bread in a sandwich) and stuffed with various vegetables like Beetroot, Carrot, Chutney and oils.

Recipe

Listed below is a traditional recipe for making Thattai. This recipe allows for a set of 50 Thattai to be made.

Ingredients required:

• 1 kilo unsteamed wheat flour
• ¼ kilo of Urad dal
• Salt as needed
• Ground chili powder – as needed for spice levels
• Fennel seeds – ½ tablespoon
• 10 cloves of garlic – paste form
• Curry leaves
• Oil as required

Instructions:

1. Soak Urad dhal for 3 hours in water
2. Drain water and set it a dry bowl
3. Mix wheat flour, salt, fennel seeds, chili powder, curry leaves and garlic paste together in the bowl containing the Urdu dhal, this needs to be mixed well
4. Let it sit for 30 minutes
5. Once ready, use mixture to make little balls
6. Take a tray and spread oil onto it, where the little balls will be placed and flattened onto, making it look like a saucer or disc
7. Use remaining mixture/balls to make as many Thattai as desired
8. Using a frying pan, add oil enough to heat the pan. Once medium hot, add Thattai
9. Fry until golden brown on both sides
10. Once done, set it aside on a platter, and after it has cooled down, it is ready to eat!

References

• Traditional Cuisine of Tamil Brahmins in Kerala. ISBN 978-81-264-7121-8

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This page was last edited on 3 April 2024, at 22:11