Pepper Thattai | Milagu Thattai

Pepper Thattai is a crispy, spicy snack made during festivals or for evening tea. These are thin rice flour discs which are flavored with pepper and fried till golden and crunchy. They are also called Milagu Thattai and they are simple to make but very satisfying. The pepper gives warm little kick and butter adds richness, it just melts in mouth.

These thattais are crisp outside and little nutty inside. The aroma of pepper, hing and curry leaves while frying makes kitchen smell so nice. They can be eaten right after frying or stored for later. They taste much better than store bought ones and are a comforting snack anytime.

Jump to:

• About Pepper Thattai
• Pepper Thattai Ingredients
• How to make Pepper Thattai Step by Step
• Expert Tips
• Serving and Storage
• FAQS
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About Pepper Thattai

Pepper Thattai is a South Indian snack rich in crunch and taste. The dough is soft and easy to press thin which helps to get crispy thattais when fried. The pepper gives mild spicy flavor and chana dal gives small crunchy bites here and there. Butter makes the thattai have a soft crunch and adds nice flavor too.

The mixture of rice flour, fried gram dal powder and spices gives that authentic taste that reminds of festive snacks from childhood. The smell of curry leaves and hing while frying is so lovely and fills the kitchen with nice aroma.

This recipe is easily customizable, you can adjust pepper according how spicy you want. You can try a pinch of red chili powder for extra heat. You can add some sesame seeds for extra crunch. Every family has its own small twist to this recipe, and that what makes homemade thattai special.

I usually make this few days before festivals. Pressing each thattai thin and watching it puff little while frying is satisfying. Once cooled they turn perfectly crisp and stay like that for days.

Pepper Thattai Ingredients

• Rice flour - I have used regular rice flour as the base. It makes the dough soft and gives crisp thattais after frying. You can even mix little idli rice flour if you like more texture.
• Fried gram dal - I grind them to a fine powder and added it to the dough. This adds a nutty taste and makes thattais light and crunchy.
• Pepper - I crushed whole pepper coarsely. This gives nice aroma and mild heat. You can increase or decrease as you prefer.
• Butter - I added little at room temperature. It makes the dough smooth and adds rich flavor. You can use ghee.
• Chana dal - I soaked them for few minutes before adding it. This gives small crunchy bites in every thattai. You can skip if not available but I like that texture.
• Hing - I used a small pinch for aroma. It gives that authentic South Indian flavor.
• Curry leaves - I added few along with pepper. This adds a nice aroma and flavor. You can use dry leaves too.
• Oil - I used for deep frying. It gives that perfect crisp golden texture. You can either use groundnut or sunflower oil, both work fine.

Similar Recipes

• Kara Boondi
• Ribbon Pakoda
• Omapodi
• Mullu Murukku
• Thattai

How to make Pepper Thattai Step by Step

1.Take rice flour in the mixing bowl. Grind fried gram dal (pottukadalai) in a mixer to a fine powder.

2.Add it to rice flour. Then add whole pepper and curry leaves in the mixer jar and grind it to a coarse mixture, Set aside.

3.Soak chana dal for 10 minutes. Now to the mixing bowl add chana dal and pepper mixture with salt and butter. Mix well.

4.Now add water little by little to form a smooth dough. The dough should not be too tight. Take a lemon sized ball, I used 1 tablespoon measure to get all the balls of even size.

5.Make few balls, then take a plastic sheet grease it with oil. Keep a ball, place another plastic sheet over it then press it with a flat surfaced bowl.

6.Prick with fork to avoid puffing up. Carefully remove it from the plastic sheet. Flatten as thin as possible only then you will get crisp thattais.

7.Heat oil, carefully add 2-3 thattais at a time, deep fry till golden brown. This will take time to cook at least 3 minutes for each batch so fry patiently in low medium flame. Then drain in tissue paper.

Cool down and Store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

• Press thin - I always press dough as thin as possible between greased sheets. This helps to make thattais crisp. If thick, they turn chewy.
• Prick before frying - I prick each thattai with fork so that it does not puff up while frying. This makes them cook evenly.
• Frying - I fry them in low medium flame. If flame is high, outside turns brown fast but inside stays soft.
• Dough - Make sure the dough is soft and not tight. This helps to press it easily and prevents cracks.
• Cool before storing - I always cool the thattais completely before keeping them in the jar. This keeps them crisp for long.
• Butter quantity - Do not skip butter. I have tried without once, but thattais become hard. So little butter gives perfect crispness.

Serving and Storage

Serve Pepper Thattai as tea time snack or just as crunchy bite anytime. It also goes well with sweets during festivals. Store them in airtight container. It stays fresh and crisp for 2 to 3 weeks. I usually make small batch so I can enjoy.

FAQS

1.Can I skip curry leaves?

Yes you can skip, but I feel it adds very nice aroma and taste, so I always add.

2.Can I use regular dal instead of fried gram dal?

You can, but roasted fried gram dal gives better taste and lightness.

3.Can I make dough ahead?

Yes, you can prepare dough few hours earlier and keep in fridge covered.

4.Can I bake this recipe?

Frying gives best crisp texture. You can either bake or fry, bith can work but the flavor will be slightly different.

5.How thin should I press them?

I press them very thin, almost like papad thickness. The thinner you press, the crispier they turn out.

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