Indian Vegetarian Recipes

thattai recipe, how to make thattai

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/thattai-recipe/

thattai recipe with step by step photos. a popular snack in the south indian region is thattai and is made mostly during the festivals of krishna jayanthi and diwali. in south india the sweet and bakery stores sell thattai all around the year.

thattai – what is it?

thattai is a deep-fried crisp cracker made with rice flour, lentil flours, spices and herbs. a basic recipe of thattai has a dough made with mixing rice flour, roasted and ground urad dal flour, soaked chana dal, grated or sliced fresh coconut (optional), curry leaves, asafoetida (hing), either ground green chillies or red chilli powder, salt and butter or ghee.

while in tamil nadu, these crispy crackers are called as thattai. in karnataka these are known as nippattu and in andhra pradesh known as chekkalu. there are some variations in the method of preparation in these regions, but the basic ingredients remain the same. thattai is also known as thattai murukku and thattu vadai.

one of our readers had shared thattai recipe some years back. the recipe was lying in my email and i never got to making thattai. so one fine day i thought of trying the recipe and made it. the thattai was crispy, crunchy and so good. it was definitely better than the store brought ones as that typical smell of overused oil was not there. it was not too spicy for us as store brought ones are usually too spicy.

after making the thattai, i felt the thattai recipe definitely needs to be shared on the blog. i have made a few changes to the recipe which have made it only better. these thattai stay crisp. so you do not need to worry about them getting soft after some days. the recipe makes for 25 thattai and can be easily scaled up by increasing the proportion of ingredients. so let us see the detailed method of making thattai with step by step pictures.

how to make thattai recipe

preparation

1. firstly rinse and then soak 1 tablespoon chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes.

2. heat a heavy kadai or pan. keep the flame to low or medium-low. add 1 tablespoon urad dal (husked and whole or split black gram).

3. lightly roast urad dal for 1 to 2 minutes. you don’t need to brown the dal. remove and keep aside. instead of using urad dal, you can also use urad dal flour. just add 1 tablespoon urad dal flour in the dough mixture.

4. in the same kadai or pan, add 1 cup rice flour (160 grams). i have here used packaged rice flour but homemade rice flour can also be used.

5. on a low to medium-low flame stirring often, roast the rice flour.

6. roast rice flour till it becomes warm to touch.

7. remove and keep aside in a mixing bowl.

8. in a small grinder, take the roasted urad dal. also add 1 tablespoon roasted chana dal. you can even skip roasted chana dal. roasted chana dal helps in making the thattai light and crispy.

9. grind to a fine powder.

making thattai dough

10. to the bowl containing the rice flour add the ground lentil flours.

11. add 1 tablespoon chopped curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves (chopped), ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing), ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or add as required, 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon salt or add as per taste. you can even add 2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut or thinly sliced coconut (optional).

12. mix the salt, spices and herbs with the flours.

13. now sprinkle 2 tablespoons water and add 1 tablespoon butter in the flour mixture. you can add 1 tablespoon ghee instead of butter. you can use both salted or unsalted butter.

14. with your fingertips mix the butter with the flour. mix very well.

15. add 3 tablespoons water.

16. gently mix and start bringing the mixture together.

17. drain all the water and then add the soaked chana dal.

18. mix and then knead to a smooth semi-soft dough or a slightly stiff dough. add 3 to 4 tablespoons water or as required while kneading the dough. i used about a total of 9.5 tablespoons water. addition of water will depend on the texture and quality of rice flour. so add in parts. do not make a soft dough as then it becomes difficult to shape and lift the thattai rounds. do not make the dough too hard as then thattai will not be crisp. it will have a hard and dense texture. also, check the taste of dough and add more salt if required. cover and keep aside. dough should not be sticky or pasty.

tip 1: if dough becomes sticky, then add some rice flour and knead.
tip 2: if the dough is dry and hard, sprinkle some water. mix and knead.

shaping thattai

19. take a butter paper or parchment paper or a ziplock bag or a clean cotton napkin. grease the butter paper or parchment paper with some oil. also keep oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. keep the flame to medium or medium-high. if using a cotton cloth or napkin, then no need to grease it.

20. make small balls from the dough.

21. place a dough ball on the greased parchment paper.

22. press and flatten thattai with your fingertips to a thin round. spread some oil on your fingers while flattening them. do not make them too thin and flat as then you cannot lift them.

23. make 5 to 6 thattai on the parchment paper. make thattai as you go on frying them. thus make one batch and add in the oil. when this first batch is getting fried, make the second batch. but do keep an eye on the batch that is getting fried.

24. check the temperature of oil by adding a tiny piece of the thattai dough. if it comes up swiftly on top, the oil is hot enough.

25. lift the thattai gently from the paper. while lifting the thattai, lift the paper slightly too as this helps too easily pull the thattai from the paper.

frying thatta

26. gently place thattai rounds in the hot oil.

27. begin to fry. keep flame to medium or medium-high while frying.

28. when one side is crisp, then flip over each thattai.

29. fry the second side till crisp. you can flip a couple of times for that even golden color and crispness.

30. fry thattai till crispy and crunchy. when the oils stops bubbling and sizzling, this means the thattai is fried and done. remove with a slotted spoon or spider spoon.

31. place fried thattai on kitchen paper towels.

32. as soon as the thattai cools at room temperature, place them in a steel box or jar. make all thattai this way.

33. serve thattai to the deities if making for festivals. if making as an evening snack, then serve with masala chai or filter coffee.

tips to make thattai

amount of asafoetida (hing) can be reduced if you want.
check the taste of dough and add more salt if required.
roasted chana dal can be skipped. though it helps in making the thattai lighter and crispy.
homemade rice flour can be used. parboiled rice flour can also be used.
amount of water to be added will depend on the texture of flour. so add in parts and knead.
you need to get a semi-soft dough. do not make dough soft as then it becomes difficult to shape and lift. do not make dough too hard as then thattai will not be crisp. it will become hard and dense.
fry thattai in oil till it stops bubbling. fry on medium flame. turn over when one side is crisp. fry till crisp and crunchy.
use parchment or butter paper or a ziplock bag. spread some oil on the parchment paper. press thattai dough balls with your fingertips. do not make very thin as then you cannot lift it up.
for a gluten free version of thattai recipe, skip asafoetida.
to make a vegan recipe of thattai, add oil instead of butter or ghee. you can use vegan butter too.

thattai recipe

Cuisine:south indian,tamil nadu

Servings (change the number to scale):25
thattai

thattai are deep-fried crispy rice crackers served as a snack and made during festivals like krishna jayanthi (gokulashtmi) or diwali. thattai are made with rice flour, spices and herbs having a spiced, crunchy and crisp taste.

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

for roasting

1 tablespoon urad dal – 10 to 11 grams
1 cup rice flour – 160 grams

other ingredients

1 tablespoon roasted chana dal – 5 grams
1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted) or ghee
1 tablespoon chopped curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves chopped
1 tablespoon chana dal – soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
½ teaspoon salt or add as required
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
½ teaspoon red chilli powder or add as required
2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut – optional
9 to 10 tablespoons water or add as required
oil as required – for deep frying

preparation for thattai recipe

firstly rinse and then soak chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes.
heat a heavy kadai or pan. keep the flame to low or medium-low. add urad dal (husked and whole or split black gram).
lightly roast urad dal for 1 to 2 minutes. urad dal need not be browned. remove and keep aside.
in the same kadai or pan, add rice flour.
on a low to medium-low flame stirring often, roast the rice flour till it becomes warm to touch.
remove and keep aside in a mixing bowl.
in a small grinder, take the roasted urad dal. also add roasted chana dal. roasted chana dal can be skipped also.
grind to a fine powder.

making thattai dough

to the bowl containing the rice flour add the ground lentil flours.
add chopped curry leaves, asafoetida powder, red chilli powder, white sesame seeds and salt. you can even add freshly grated coconut or thinly sliced fresh coconut(optional).
mix the salt, spices and herbs with the flours.
now sprinkle 2 tablespoons water and add 1 tablespoon butter or ghee in the flour mixture. you can add ghee instead of butter.
with your fingertips mix the butter with the flour. mix very well.
add 3 tablespoons water.
gently mix and start bringing the mixture together.
drain all the water and then add the soaked chana dal.
mix and then knead to a semi-soft dough. add 3 to 4 tablespoons more water or as required while kneading the dough. i added about a total of 9.5 tablespoons of water. addition of water will depend on the texture and quality of rice flour. so add in parts.
tip – avoid making a soft dough as then it becomes difficult to shape and lift the thattai rounds. do not make the dough too hard as then thattai will not be crisp. it will have a hard and dense texture. also check the taste of dough and add more salt if required. cover and keep aside.

shaping thattai

take a butter paper or parchment paper or a ziplock bag or a clean cotton napkin. grease the butter paper or parchment paper with some oil. keep oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. keep the flame to medium or medium-high.
make small balls from the dough.
place a dough ball on the greased parchment paper.
press and flatten thattai with your fingertips to a thin round. spread some oil on your fingers while flattening them. do not make them too thin and flat as then you cannot lift them.
make 5 to 6 thattai on the parchment paper.
check the temperature of oil by adding a tiny piece of the thattai dough. if it comes up swiftly on top, the oil is hot enough.
lift the thattai gently from the paper.

frying thattai

gently place in the hot oil.
begin to fry thattai on a medium or medium-high flame.
when one side is crisp, then flip over each thattai.
fry the second side till crisp. you can flip a couple of times for that even golden color and crispness.
fry thattai till crispy and crunchy. when the oil stops bubbling and sizzling, this means the thattai is fried well.
remove fried thattai with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
when frying the first batch of thattai, shape the second batch and keep them ready. however do keep an eye on the batch of the thattai that is being fried. this way make all thattai.
as soon as the thattai cools at room temperature, place them in a steel box or jar.
serve thattai to the deities. if making as an evening snack, then serve with masala chai or filter coffee.

amount of asafoetida (hing) can be reduced if you want.
check taste of dough and add more salt if required.
roasted chana dal can be skipped. though it helps in making the thattai lighter and crispy.
homemade rice flour can be used. parboiled rice flour can also be used.
amount of water to be added will depend on the texture of flour. so add in parts and knead.
you need to get a semi-soft dough. do not make dough soft as then difficult to shape and lift. do not make dough too hard as then thattai will not be crisp. it will become hard and dense.
fry thattai in oil till it stops bubbling. fry on medium flame till crisp and crunchy.
use parchment or butter paper or a ziplock bag. spread some oil on the parchment paper. press thattai dough balls with your fingertips. do not make very thin as then you cannot lift it up.
for a gluten free thattai, skip asafoetida.
to make a vegan thattai, add oil instead of butter or ghee. you can use vegan butter too.
if dough becomes too soft, add some rice flour.
if dough looks dry or hard, sprinkle some water.

Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Paneer Tikka Masala

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.

About This Recipe

You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.

Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.

They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.

This Paneer Tikka Masala

is super creamy, smooth.
goes well with naan, paratha.
makes a comforting meal.
leftovers are great as well!

Ingredients

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.

Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.

Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.

The Masala/Curry

Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.

Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.

Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!

Step by Step Instructions

1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:

1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 lime

2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).

4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.

6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.

7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.

8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:

1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar

9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.

10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.

11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.

14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.

15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.

16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:

Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.

bowl of paneer tikka masala garnished with cilantro and spoons of spices placed on the side

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:

use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
replace butter with vegan butter.
replace heavy cream with coconut milk.

Tips & Notes

I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paneer Tikka same as Paneer Tikka Masala?

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

What can I substitute the curry powder with?

Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.

Is Paneer Tikka Masala same as Paneer Makhani?

They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.

This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.

If you’ve tried this Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where spiced and grilled paneer tikka is added to a creamy curry. It is best enjoyed with warm naan!

Course Entree

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Manali

Ingredients

Paneer Tikka

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
1/2 lime juice of
225 grams paneer cut into cubes
1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes

Curry

1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
1 cup water or more as needed
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.

Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper

Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Video

Notes

I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.