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    Home » Amma » Pappu Chekkalu

    Biyyam Pindi Chekkalu | Thattai Recipe

    Published: Oct 25, 2021 · Modified: Oct 26, 2022 by Pavani · 14 Comments

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    Pappu chekkalu are a crispy, buttery and addictive snack made all across South Indian states. These are easy to make and absolutely delicious. A perfect treat with a cup of tea. They are also great to make for Diwali as edible gifts.

    I am sharing my mom's recipe here that is fool proof. She uses rice flour or biyyam pindi. She also adds crushed peanuts and chilies to give these chekkalu a nutty-spicy kick. Do try this recipe, I am sure you will love these as much as we do.

    Light brown plate a stack of pappu chekkalu

    Table of contents

    • About the Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • You might also like
    • Recipe Card

    About the Recipe

    My Amma is a pro in making traditional Andhra dishes including snacks and sweets. I am slowly learning and documenting her recipes here. There are some I absolutely love to make, like these janthikalu, boorelu and chalimidi.

    Pappu chekkalu or simply chekkalu are one of my childhood favorite. My mom used to make them quite frequently for us as afterschool snack. Come to think of it, we never had store-bought snacks at home. Amma always made sure that we had homemade goodies on hand all the time.

    Light brown plate with a stack of nippattu

    These crispy discs or savory fried crisps are commonly made across South Indian states. They are also known as nippattu in Karnataka or thattai in Tamil Nadu.

    My mom's recipe includes crushed peanuts and green chilies. This adds a nice spice kick as well as a nutty flavor to chekkalu. The best part is these stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

    Traditionally, these are deep fried until golden and crispy. But I recently made these chekkalu in air fryer and they turned out great. Check out the tips section to see how to make these nippattu in an air fryer.

    Hand holding a thattai

    Ingredients

    For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

    Here are the ingredients you need to make pappu chekkalu:

    • Rice flour or biyyam pindi - regular store-bought flour.
    • All purpose flour (Maida)
    • Chana dal - soak for at least 30 minutes before making the dough
    • Sesame seeds
    • Raw peanuts and green chilies - ground to a coarse paste
    • Ghee or unsalted butter - to get the best crumbly texture
    • Salt
    • Oil, for deep frying
    Ingredients needed - details in recipe card

    Instructions

    For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

    Thattai recipe is quite an easy one to make. But read the Expert Tips section to ensure that you make the crispiest and best pappu chekkalu with peanuts.

    Soak chana dal for at least 30 minutes in a small bowl. Drain and use.

    Grind peanuts and green chilies to a coarse paste.

    Peanuts and green chilies in a blender ground to paste

    In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flours, sesame seeds, drained chana dal, ground peanut mixture, ghee and salt. Mix with your fingers to form a crumbly mixture.

    Mixing ingredients to make the dough

    Add just enough water and mix everything to form a stiff dough similar to puri dough. Knead a couple of times.

    Heat oil for deep frying on medium flame. Take a small lemon size piece of the dough and pat it into a disc on our palm, or oiled Ziploc bag or aluminum foil.

    Step by step photos showing the shaping chekkalu

    Gently slide in the dough disc into the hot oil and fry on medium flame until golden brown on both sides. Remove onto a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining dough.

    Step by step photos showing the frying of nippattu

    Let cool completely before enjoying them. Store completely cooled chekkalu in an air tight container.

    Hand holding a bitten nippattu

    Expert Tips

    • Make sure to rub the butter or ghee into the flour before adding water. This ensures that the texture of final pappu chekkalu is buttery and crumbly.
    • Soak chana dal for at least 30 minutes to ensure that it is soft before using in the recipe.
    • Make sure that the oil is at medium temperature.
    • Thattai have to be fried at even medium flame until lightly browned and crispy. DO NOT fry on high flame, this will change the color too soon and they will turn soggy as they cool.
    • Make sure to cool nippattu completely before storing.
    • Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
    • Chekkalu in air fryer or baked nippattu recipe:
      • Preheat the air fryer/ oven to 350°F.
      • Lightly grease a baking sheet and evenly space chekkalu on it.
      • Bake for 12~16 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Make sure to flip them halfway through.
    Light brown plate with pappu chekkalu

    You might also like

    Here are a few more delicious Indian savory snacks that you might like:

    • How to make Minapa Vada with Cabbage | Step by Step Recipe
    • How to make Namak Para | Nimki Recipe
    • Palakura Punugulu with Idli Batter | Video
    • Easy to make Gathiya (Gathia) Recipe | Diwali Snack
    Light brown plate with a stack of pappu chekkalu

    I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

    Recipe Card

    Light brown plate with a stack of nippattu

    Pappu Chekkalu/ Thattai

    Crispy, buttery and addictive snack made all across South India. Known as Chekkalu, Nippattu or thattai, these are easy to make & yummy.
    Author: Pavani
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Soaking time:: 30 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: andhra
    Servings: 24 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons Chana dal, rinsed and drained
    • 2 tablespoons Peanuts
    • 2~3 Green chilies
    • 1 cup Rice flour
    • ½ cup All purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoons Ghee or Unsalted Butter
    • To taste Salt
    • As needed Water
    • As needed Oil, for deep frying

    Instructions

    • Soak chana dal for at least 30 minutes in a small bowl. Drain and use.
    • Grind peanuts and green chilies to a coarse paste.
    • In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flours, sesame seeds, drained chana dal, ground peanut mixture, ghee and salt. Mix with your fingers to form a crumbly mixture. Add just enough water and mix everything to form a stiff dough similar to puri dough. Knead a couple of times.
    • Heat oil for deep frying on medium flame.
      Take a small lemon size piece of the dough and pat it into a disc on an oiled Ziploc bag or aluminum foil.
    • Gently slide in the dough disc into the hot oil and fry on medium flame until golden brown on both sides.
      Remove onto a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let cool completely before enjoying them. Store completely cooled chekkalu in an air tight container.

    Video

    Notes

    • Make sure to rub the butter or ghee into the flour before adding water. This ensures that the texture of final pappu chekkalu is buttery and crumbly.
    • Soak chana dal for at least 30 minutes to ensure that it is soft before using in the recipe.
    • Make sure that the oil is at medium temperature.
    • Thattai have to be fried at even medium flame until lightly browned and crispy. DO NOT fry on high flame, this will change the color too soon and they will turn soggy as they cool.
    • Make sure to cool nippattu completely before storing.
    • Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
    • Chekkalu in air fryer or baked nippattu recipe:
      • Preheat the air fryer/ oven to 350°F.
      • Lightly grease a baking sheet and evenly space chekkalu on it.
      • Bake for 12~16 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Make sure to flip them halfway through.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Thattai | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 0.03IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooks_hideout or tag #cookshideout!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Priya Suresh

      April 09, 2013 at 9:20 pm

      How crispy and tempting super attractive thattais, love love with a cup of masala tea.

      Reply
    2. prasanna shri

      April 09, 2013 at 11:46 pm

      u didnt mention about all purpose flour quantity.thanks

      Reply
    3. vaishali sabnani

      April 10, 2013 at 4:09 am

      It surely is wonderful when moms come over. Good chance to learn ..love this snack, like the addition of Chanda dal to it...looks wonderful, wish could taste it.

      Reply
    4. The Pumpkin Farm

      April 10, 2013 at 5:04 am

      i loved them , recently were served at a temple by a family , i believe on completion of their son's 10th std exams, waiting for their son's results now ;), until then will drool on these lovely pictures

      Reply
    5. sujithaeasycooking

      April 10, 2013 at 3:00 pm

      Lovely thattai... it's crispy...

      Reply
    6. Srivalli

      April 10, 2013 at 4:34 pm

      Chekkalu are looking so good Pavani, how very nice that you were able to record your mom's recipes..pictures are so tempting..I love these so much.

      Reply
    7. Veena Theagarajan

      April 11, 2013 at 12:48 am

      crispy.. very tempting

      Reply
    8. Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi

      April 11, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      They look so tempting. My mom used to steam the maida and prepare chekkalu. Since I am anti-Maida I haven't explored that 🙂

      Reply
    9. Manju

      April 12, 2013 at 5:31 pm

      Crispy thattai addition of APF is new to me.

      Reply
    10. Rajani S

      April 18, 2013 at 9:09 am

      Good that you got around posting these treasures that your mom made. The thattai looks crispy and perfectly done..

      Reply
    11. PJ

      April 22, 2013 at 10:22 am

      I still depend on mom to prepare such traditional dishes. Good that you clicked them when mom came. Looks very tempting Pavani 🙂

      Reply
    12. veena krishnakumar

      April 23, 2013 at 10:22 am

      I make thattai but without the all purpose flour but addition of urad dal flour. These looks so tempting and as usual the clicks are just out of the world

      Reply
    13. Suma Gandlur

      May 06, 2013 at 8:29 pm

      Lovely snack. we go with just rice flour.

      Reply
    14. Sai Kiran

      August 09, 2022 at 8:42 pm

      5 stars
      Pappu chekkalu is a healthy snack that we can prepare by this recipe, my father used to have them daily evening as snacks surprisingly he used to order from Laddu Express

      Thanks for your explanation

      Reply

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