Black Pepper Thattai Recipe | Milagu Thattai Recipe

Black Pepper Thattai is a crisp, spicy snack made during festivals or for evening tea. These are thin discs of rice flour that are fried until golden and crisp with the flavor of black pepper. These are also called Milagu Thattai and are simple to make but very satisfying. The black pepper adds some heat and the butter adds flavour, it melts in the mouth.

These thattai are crispy from outside and slightly nutty from inside. While frying, the aroma of black pepper, asafoetida and curry leaves gives a very nice aroma to the kitchen. These can be eaten immediately after frying or stored for later. They taste much better than store-bought and make for a comforting snack any time.

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About Black Pepper Thattai

Pepper Thattai is a South Indian snack that is full of crunch and flavour. The dough is soft and easy to press which helps in making crispy thighs when fried. Black pepper gives a mild spicy taste and chana dal gives a small crunchy taste at places. Butter makes thattai soft crispy and also adds good flavour.

The mixture of rice flour, fried chana dal powder and spices gives that authentic taste that is reminiscent of childhood festive snacks. The aroma of curry leaves and asafoetida while frying is very captivating and fills the kitchen with a pleasant aroma.

This recipe is easily customizable, you can adjust the pepper according to how spicy you want it. You can use a pinch of red chili powder for extra heat. You can also add some sesame seeds for added crunch. Every family has their own little variation on this recipe, and that’s what makes home-made thattai special.

I usually make it a few days before festivals. It is satisfying to press each thattai thinly and watch it puff up slightly while frying. Once cooled they become perfectly crisp and remain that way for several days.

Black Pepper Thattai Ingredients

• rice flour – I have used regular rice flour as a base. It softens the dough and gives crispy thighs after frying. You can also add some rice flour to the idli if you like more texture.
• fried gram dal – I grind them into fine powder and mix them with flour. It adds a nutty flavor and makes thattai light and crispy.
• black pepper – I have coarsely ground whole chillies. It provides good aroma and mild heat. You can increase or decrease as per your wish.
• butter – I mixed a little at room temperature. It makes the dough smooth and gives rich flavor. You can use ghee.
• Chickpea lentil – I soaked them for a few minutes before adding it. It gives small crunchy pieces in every thattai. If not available you can omit but I like that texture.
• hing – I used a small pinch for aroma. It gives authentic South Indian taste.
• Curry leaf – I mixed something with black pepper. It adds a nice aroma and flavour. You can also use dry leaves.
• Oil – I used to deep fry. It gives a perfect crisp golden texture. You can use either peanut or sunflower oil, both work fine.

similar recipe

How to make Paper Thattai step by step

1.Take rice flour in a mixing bowl. Grind the roasted gram dal (pottukadalai) finely in a mixer.

2. Mix it with rice flour. Then put whole black pepper and curry leaves in the mixer jar, grind them coarsely and keep aside.

3.Soak the chana dal for 10 minutes. Now add gram dal and black pepper mixture, salt and butter in the mixing bowl. mix well.

4.Now add water little by little and knead a smooth dough. The dough should not be too hard. Take a lemon sized ball, I used 1 tablespoon to make all the balls the same size.

5.Make some balls, then take a plastic sheet and grease it with oil. Place a ball, place another plastic sheet on top of it and then press it down against a bowl with a flat surface.

6. Pierce with a fork to prevent puffing. Carefully remove it from the plastic sheet. Flatten them as thin as possible only then you will get crispy patties.

7.Heat oil, carefully add 2-3 thighs at a time, fry until golden brown. Each batch will take at least 3 minutes to cook so fry patiently on low medium flame. Then take out in tissue paper.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Expert Tips

• press thin – I always press the dough as thin as possible between greased sheets. This helps in making thattai crispy. When thickened they become chewable.
• make holes before frying – I prick each thattai with a fork so that it does not swell while frying. This cooks them evenly.
• finished – I fry them on low medium flame. If the flame is high, it turns brown quickly from outside but remains soft from inside.
• dough – Make sure the dough is soft and not hard. This helps in pressing it easily and prevents cracks.
• cool before storing – I always cool the thattas completely before storing them in jars. This keeps them crunchy for a long time.
• amount of butter – Don’t leave out the butter. I’ve tried without once, but it gets harder. This little butter gives perfect crispness.

serving and storage

Serve Black Pepper Thattai as a tea time snack or as a crunchy snack anytime. It also tastes good with sweets during festivals. Store them in an airtight container. It remains fresh and crisp for 2 to 3 weeks. I usually make small batches so I can enjoy.

general questions and answers

1.Can I skip curry leaves?

Yes, you can leave out, but I think it adds great aroma and flavor, so I always add.

2.Can I use regular dal in place of fried chana dal?

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

3.Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes, you can prepare the dough a few hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

4.Can I bake this recipe?

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

5.How thin should I press them?

I press them very thin, almost the thickness of papad. The thinner you press, the crispier they will become.

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