Thattai

Ingredients:

Rice Flour- 240 ml
Urad flour- 60 ml (dal roasted, powdered and sieved)
Ghee or butter- 60 ml
Channa dal – 1 tablespoon
Coconut grated- 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt- 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Oil for frying

Method:

Soak channa dal for one hour. Take a wide basin and mix salt and asafoetida powder in 1/4 cup of water. Add the flours, chilli powder, drained channa dal, coconut and butter and mix well. Add more water as needed and make a firm dough. If the dough is too dry, cracks will form on the thattai and it will break. In that case, sprinkle a little water and mix well. Adjust salt if needed. Divide the dough into small balls- bigger than marble but smaller than a small lemon.Keep covered.

Spread a smooth cloth, keep a ball of dough on it. Place an oiled polythene paper on the ball and press with a flat bottomed cup (dabara would be ideal). Remove the paper and repeat with 3 more balls. Heat oil in a frying pan and when hot enough to fry, take and slip 4 or 5 thattais gently into the oil. Fry on medium heat, turn both sides and remove when golden and the noise subsides. Drain on paper. Repeat with the balance dough. After the first batch is over, check for crispness. If not crisp, add a little more of butter.

Cool and then store in a air-tight container.