NIPPATTU/TATTAI/PAPPU CHEKKULU/SPICY RICE CRACKERS

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In Kannada there is a saying Devannobba nama halavu- meaning we call the almighty God by different names but he is One. Out of context for a food blog? very spiritual? Well let us make it lighter. Call it Tattai in Tamil, Chekkulu in Telugu or Nippattu as we know it here in Bangalore this heavenly, addictive rice cracker is pretty much the same and is popular in Southern India.
Nippattu , Chakkuli, Kodubale are some of the savory snacks that relatives and friends bring during a traditional ceremony called Shreemantham, (Godh Bharayi) , (baby showers) and give to the would be mom during Arathi along with sweet dishes, fruits, flowers, gifts etc.
Certain communities in Karnataka in fact have these salted/spicy snacks after lunch/dinner and call it unda bayige oggarane - some freshener after a meal.
Now let us get some gyan about Nippattu.
  • Difficulty - Skill acquired through practice
  • Prep Time - 30 minutes
  • Cooking time - 1 hour
  • Yields - 60 - 70 nos of 3 inch dia
Ingredients
  • Rice flour - 500 gms 
  • Desicated Coconut - cut into small pieces - 1 cup 
  • Sesame seeds - 1/2 cup 
  • Asafoetida - 4 generous pinches 
  • Fried gram - 1 cup 
  • Red chilly powder - 2 spoons 
  • Ghee - 3 spoons 
  • Roasted peanuts - 250 gms 
  • Salt - 2 spoons (to taste) 
  • Oil - for deep frying ( I use ground nut oil) 
Method
  • Roast ground nut/peanuts under low flame till golden 
  • Cut desiccated coconut into small pieces 
  • Powder fried gram and half of the roasted peanuts 
  • Crush other half of the roasted peanuts into halves 
  • In a broad bowl mix rice flour, asafoetida, salt, ghee, powdered gram and peanut mixture, coconut pieces and crushed peanuts, thoroughly. 
  • Prepare a firm dough by adding water little by little 
  • Knead the dough, cover with wrap and keep aside. 
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottomed wok/kadai on medium flame for deep frying nippattu. 
  • Pinch out small lemon sized dough, roll in between palms of both hands into small balls and keep aside (10 - 12 at a time). 
  • Check for the heat by dropping a small piece of the dough into oil, if it floats the oil is hot enough for frying. 
Now grease left palm with a drop of oil, pat the dough ball on the palm with right hand fingers into a flat disc and drop into hot oil. Repeat with rest of the balls.
Slowly fry the discs till firm and crisp, drain oil and keep aside.
Cool the Nippattu and store in an air tight jar.







                                            
Notes
  • Follow the proportion of rice flour, ground nut powder and fried gram powder. 
  • More of rice flour will render nippattu hard. 
  • More of ghee, gram powder will make nippattu disintegrate while frying 
  • Add chopped curry leaves for additional flavour 
  • Add extra chilly powder for spicier taste. 

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