Name: Pappu chekkalu (Rice crackers)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour; 1 cup water; 1 tsp red chilli powder; ¼ tsp asafetida; Salt to taste; 2 tsp sesame seeds; 1 Tbsp. roasted peanuts; 1 spring curry leaves finely chopped; Oil for deep frying

Pappu chekkalu (Rice crackers)

14 Sep 2017

by Deepthi (in memoriam)

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Background

Pappu chekkalu are delicious south Indian savory item usually made during festivals. There are many variations of this recipe, but this particular one is my grandmother's recipe and I learnt this recipe from my mother. When I was a kid, my mom used to make these during my summer vacation.

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
1 cup water
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp asafetida
Salt to taste
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. roasted peanuts
1 spring curry leaves finely chopped
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Take a bowl, add rice flour, salt, red chilli powder. Mix them well.
Blend roasted peanuts coarsely and add to the mixture.
Add chopped curry leaves, asafetida, sesame seeds and mix well.
Boil the water and add to the dry mixture little by little mixing with a spoon to make dough.
Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil for deep frying.
Take a small lemon sized ball of the dough, place on an oiled plastic sheet.
Shape into a small circle by pressing with fingers.
Once the oil is hot, slowly remove the shaped crackers and slide into the oil.
In one go, you can fry 5-6 rice crackers.
Reduce the flame to medium and deep fry them to golden color.
Remove and place on an absorbent paper and cool.
Repeat the process till the rest of the dough is done.
Cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
Serve as an evening snack along with a cup of tea/ coffee.