Thattai

Ingredients

The following are the ingredients needed to prepare around 8 - 10 numbers of Thattai,

• Rice flour - 1 cup (raw rice soaked in water for about 1 hour, dried, ground and sieved) 
• Urad dal flour - 1 tablespoon (Urad dal dry roasted and ground)
• Chana dal flour - 1 tablespoon 
• Chana dal - 1 tablespoon (soaked in water)

Note: Both Chana dal mentioned here are also known as yellow split peas

• Cumin / sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon or as preferred
• Curry leaves - a few leaves chopped
• Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon or as preferred
• Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - as required
• Butter - 1 teaspoon
• Water - as required for dough
• Oil as required for deep frying

Preparation Steps

For preparing dough:

1. Take a big bowl, add the three flours, Chana dal, cumin/sesame seeds, chilli powder, salt, asafoetida curry leaves and butter. Mix the contents well. 
2. Once it has mixed well add water little by little and knead it.
3. The prepared dough shouldn't be too soft or hard. 
4. You can manage the consistency by adding a few teaspoons of rice flour or water as needed.
5. Take a small amount of dough and try rolling it, if you can roll then the consistency is good. Add a teaspoon of oil to it and keep it aside.

For preparing Thattai:

1. In a pan add oil as required for deep fry and let it heat at high flame for a few minutes.
2. Take a piece of banana leaf/plastic sheet/zip lock cover, grease them with oil.
3. Grease your palm as well and take a small amount of dough, roll them into a ball and press them flat in the shape of Thattai on the greased banana leaf. 
4. Do not press them too thin or too thick.
5. You can use any small flat bottomed vessel to gently press them and get the perfect round shape.
6. Once the oil is hot enough, lower the flame to medium and drop these small disc shaped dough into the oil, one by one.
7. Let it fry, when it starts to float and puff up a little flip it so that it is evenly cooked.
8. When the sizzling sound and bubbles have stopped you can take them out.
9. Place it on a strainer or tissue to remove excess oil.
10. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough.
11. You can store these in an airtight container and it can stay crisp for over a week.