NIPPATTU

What’s your favourite snack or craving when you see rain outside? When the earth smells so surreal? Heavy rains always reminds me of growing up days in Bangalore when we would enjoy a hot cup of coffee with yummy crispy rice crackers called Nippatu! Finally made them to relive my childhood days! Hope you enjoy them too.

Makes 18 -20 Nipattus

INGREDIENTS:

• 160 gms Rice flour

• 40 gms Fried gram or Hurikadale or Pottukadale or Putani coarsely powdered

• 20 gms roasted Peanut/Groundnut coarsely powdered without skin

• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut or dry coconut grated finely

• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp all purpose flour

• 2 - 2 1/2 tsp Chilli powder

• 2 tbsp Curry leaves minced

• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves

• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp Salt

• 175-180 gms water approximately for mixing

• 1tbsp oil

• Oil for frying
  

METHOD:

Preparation for Nippattu:

• In a large bowl add all the ingredients except water and oil. Mix up everything

• Heat 1 tbsp oil until very hot in a small spatula. Pour this to the flour mixture. The oil must sizzle when its added. Mix up everything well

• Pour water little by little and mix to make a non sticky stiff dough without kneading.

• Divide the dough to 18 to 20 portions of small balls and keep the bowl covered with damp kitchen towel

Making Nippattu:

• Heat enough oil on medium heat in a small deep wok to fry the Nippattu

• While the oil is heating, take 1 tbsp of oil in a small bowl to grease fingers when necessary while make Nippattu discs.

• Take a ziplock or parchment paper, smear the surface with a bit of oil to make it slightly greasy, take a Nippatu ball, start flattening it into thin discs with your fingers. The edges of the Nippatu will begin to crack, just join and continue to flatten evenly as in pic 3. Make a hole in the center or you can leave it without a hole

• Take a fork and prick the nippattu few times to prevent them from puffing

• Keep this aside on a parchment paper, make 2 to 3 more

• By now the oil should be hot enough, test by dropping a small piece of dough to oil. It must come up immediately without browning.

• Keep the flame to medium high. Gently remove and drop the nippattu in hot oil. You can fry 2-3 in each batch.

• Do not flip them for a min, when firm and golden, flip and fry on the other side until golden and crisp

• Remove them onto a plate lined with paper towel or mess basket or colander

• Repeat the process with rest of the balls to make nippattu

• Cool Nippattu completely and store in a airtight container

Note: If the oil is not hot enough then nippattu will soak up oil and will not remain crispy after few hours. They may turn soft and chewy