Pappu Chekkalu/ Thattai

This is one of my favorite snacks! This is one of those snacks you will not be able to eat just one! Its fairly similar to how we make Murukku. In the beginning, it might be a bit difficult to slide off the dough from your palm to oil but once you start it, you will figure out a way to master the art. I made this for Diwali along with Maa Ladoo.

Ingredients:
Rice Flour: 1 cup
Water: 1 cup
Channa Dal: 2 tbsp (soaked in water for 1 hour)
Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp
Asafetida: 1/8 tsp
Cumin: 1 tsp
Salt: according to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients first. Then slowly start adding water and mix thoroughly (I used my hand here).

Heat oil in a wide bottom pan. While you are waiting for oil to heat up, make small pieces of plastic bag. Grease the plastic sheet with oil. Now, take a small ball of dough and gently press down like shown in the below picture. Don't make it too thin, else you will not be able to drop down into oil. If you are making this for the first time, it would be easier if you make very small rounds.

 Grease your right palm with oil. Now, when the oil in the pan is hot, take the plastic sheet in your left hand, and gently peel off the dough to your right hand. After that, slowly drop the chekkalu from your right hand into oil and fry till golden brown. I usually fry 3 chekkalu at a time. When they are being fried, press down more dough for the next batch. That's it!