Deepavali always brings in festivities and goodness to an already vibrant occassion. Preparations for Deepavali would start at least a week ahead of the festival with all of us pitching in for the making of the various sweets and savories all overseen briskly by Maduraiamma. She would keep ready large aluminum tins, washed and dried in the sun, for storing the various savories and sweets that we make for this yearly festival.

On the other hand, sweet shops like Surya Sweets, Sri Krishna Sweets. The Grand Sweets and Snacks, Suswaad,  etc have brisk business during this festive season stocking up on specialty items for people to buy and enjoy. One such store that makes amazing “Thattai” has been Surya Sweets in Abhiramapuram, Chennai. Their Thattais are amazingly big, thin and crisp and just right to munch with a glass of tea as an evening snack. This was taught to me by a dear aunt!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of Rice Flour.

1/8 cup of Urad Flour. (Slow roast Urad Dhal in a dry kadai until it turns light brown and emits an aroma. Cool and grind to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or mixer and sieve).

1 Tsp Maida/ AP Flour.

1 tsp salt.

1 Tbsp Butter.

A handful of Chutney Dhal/Pottu Kadalai/ Daliya.

Hing.

3/4 spoon Red Chilli Powder (or as per taste).

10 curry leaves torn.

Water to bind the ingredients.

PREPARATION:

• In a mixing bowl add butter, salt, hing, red chilli powder, curry leaves, pottu kadalai, rice flour, maida and the roasted and ground urad dhal powder.
• Mix it well dry and make sure all the ingredients are incorporated well.
• Now gingerly pour the water so that the powders mix in well to become a homogeneous mixture. There should not be any excess water.
• The urad dhal powder acts as a binding agent for the various powders.
• Make in to small 1 inch balls and set aside.
• At this point, pour oil in to a kadai and place on medium heat on the stove.
• Flatten the balls on a ziploc cover to make thin rounds. Alternatively you can also use 2 sheets of Parchments paper and flatten the balls using a flat bottomed cup” or a “davara”.
• Try to make the “Thattais” as thin as possible to enable them to fry easily and make them as crisp as possible.
• Gently slip this in to the hot oil. Allow to cook well on one side and then flip over in the oil on the other.
• When the bubbles subside, remove the “thattais” from the oil and allow to drain on a collander lined with tissue.
• Continue and finish all the balls and store in an air tight container.