Thattai Recipe (Crispy Thattai Murukku / Thattu Vadai)

Thattai, also known as thattu vadai, thattai murukku or nippattu, is a popular crunchy South Indian festive snack made with rice flour, roasted urad dal flour and spices. Here is how to make traditional Tamil Nadu style crispy thattai easily at home with step-by-step photos!

Thattai @ thattu vadai @ thattai murukku @ elladai @ nippattu @ chekkalu is one of my most favorite South Indian snacks recipe. Usually thattai is prepared with rice flour, urad dal flour, butter or oil. Nowadays in many snack shops, thattu vadai is prepared using maida / all purpose flour, pottukadalai maavu (fried gram dal flour), vanaspati and cooking soda to make it white, crispy and melt in mouth. But I followed a traditional Tamil style thattai recipe from one of my old cookbooks. It comes out golden brown in color and tastes crispy, slightly hard just like the way it should be.

Traditionally thattu vadai is prepared using homemade processed rice flour, but today I have shared the same recipe using store bought idiyappam flour to ease the job. In my family, we don’t have the practice of making thattai for Krishna jayanthi. But many people make elladai / thattai for this festival. So I thought of sharing this easy, crispy thattu vadai recipe with you all as my Gokulashtami special recipe. Let us see how to make Tamilnadu style thattai recipe with step by step pictures.

Check out my other festive recipes in my complete Gokulashtami Recipes Collection.

Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens

• Flour Selection: Store-bought roasted rice flour or idiyappam flour (such as Nirapara, Eastern or Swad) works great and saves time compared to homemade processed rice flour.
• Even Flattening Technique: Place dough balls between two greased zip-top bags or parchment sheets and press with a flat-bottomed measuring cup or stainless steel glass for uniform thickness.
• Stovetop Heat Control: On electric coil or glass-top cooktops, maintain the burner on steady medium heat. Frying too quickly leaves the center chewy, while frying patiently until bubbles cease ensures long-lasting crunch.
• Pricking with Fork: Always prick each thattai multiple times with a fork before frying so it stays flat and crunchy like a cracker instead of puffing up like a poori.

Thattai Recipe (Crispy Thattai Murukku / Thattu Vadai)

Chitra

Crispy, crunchy South Indian thattai recipe made with store bought rice flour, urad dal flour and butter – Easy Diwali snack

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Snacks

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 25 thattais

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Idiyappam flour or store bought rice flour (approx. 125 g / 4.4 oz)
• 1 tbsp Roasted urad dal flour 3 tsp (approx. 10 g / 0.35 oz)
• 1 tbsp Melted butter at room temp (approx. 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz)
• 1 tbsp Chana dal or fried gram dal / pottukadalai soaked for 1 hour & drained (approx. 15 g / 0.5 oz)
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp Asafetida / Hing
• 1 tsp Black sesame seeds
• 2 tsp Chopped curry leaves
• Salt as needed
• Water as needed to make smooth dough
• Cooking oil to deep fry

Instructions

 

• Wash and soak 1 tbsp chana dal in water for an hour. In a wide bowl, take the rice flour, roasted urad dal flour, salt, sesame seeds, hing, chopped curry leaves, soaked and drained chana dal or fried gram dal.
  
• Add melted butter and mix well, making sure butter incorporates thoroughly into the flour. Add water gradually and make a smooth, non-sticky dough. Make big gooseberry sized balls and keep covered with a cloth.
  
• Take 2 zip-lock covers or thick plastic sheets. Grease with a little oil and place a dough ball between them. Take a small flat-bottomed bowl or cup and press gently to make a thin, flat circle. Pat it thin for extra crispness.
  
• Shape all the balls into thin circles and prick with a fork or toothpick to prevent puffing. Carefully lift the thattai and arrange on a clean cotton cloth to absorb extra moisture. Let rest for 10 minutes.
  
• Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame. Drop a pinch of dough to check temperature; if it rises immediately, oil is ready. Drop thattai in batches and deep fry on both sides until bubbles cease completely and they turn golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and store in an airtight container once cooled.
  

Notes

• Prick the thattai with a fork without fail. It prevents the thattai from puffing up like a poori.
• Oil temperature should be perfect. If the oil is too hot, thattai becomes golden brown on the outside without cooking properly inside.
• Cook slowly on medium flame. Remove the thattai only after the bubbles and sound cease completely, else it will become chewy.
• Pat it thin and even so it cooks evenly. To make crispy thattu vadai, patting it thin is essential.
• You can replace butter with 2 tbsp of hot cooking oil if desired.

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Try this crunchy thattai murukku and enjoy with tea or coffee!