Thukkada...A famous snack of Tirunelveli

Thukkada..The best combination to have with Tea/coffee.In south Tamilnadu they call this as Thukkada but some refer this as spicy diamond cuts.It is raining here in Tuticorin and felt like having something spicy with a hot cup of filter coffee.One of my friend who is a native of Tirunelveli was telling me about this snack which she used to prepare for Diwali.Borrowed the recipe from her and made it..Thank u G for the recipe...This dish can be prepared within a short time and can be stored for a week.

 

Usually they prepare it with All purpose flour/maida.But considering the health aspects I replaced Maida with Wheat flour and followed the same process.I found the taste to be much better than the maida one..

 

So try making this Thukkada and enjoy this Diwali and so the rain...

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

 

250 gms of Wheat Flour/All purpose flour (I used wheat flour)

3-4 Nos. of Red Chillies/Green Chillies

1 Tsp of Jeera/Cumin Seeds

1-2 Pods of Garlic

A Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing

A Tsp of Butter

Salt to Taste

Oil to deep fry

 

 

 

 

 

THIS IS HOW I MADE IT:

 

 

 

Grind red chillies/Green chillies,Jeera,garlic first.

Then add little water and then grind again to make it into a smooth paste.

Don't add water first itself.U will not end up with a nice smooth paste.

 

 

 

In a mixing bowl add wheat/maida flour,salt,hing and butter.

Mix well until it becomes like bread crumbles.

Then to it add the grinded masala(red chillies+garlic+Jeera)

Again mix it nicely so that it gets evenly mixed all over.

 

 

After mixing well,sprinkle water little by little and mix well.

Don't pour too much of water.

And make it into a tight dough.If the dough has more water content then it will end up with a non-crispy tukkadas.If u want them to be crispier then reduce the water content..

 

 

 

Heat oil in a pan to deep fry the thukkadas.

From the dough take a part of the dough of big lemon size.

Roll it with a rolling pin like a chappathi into thin round chappathi.It should be thin to end up with a crispy thukkada.

 

 

Cut them into diamond or square shapes using a pizza cutter/samosa cutter or using a simple knife..

 

When the oil is hot add the diamonds into the oil in a batch.

U can separate the thukkada after adding it to the oil with the help of the ladle.

 

 

 

Fry them till the oil bubbles settle.I like to have them with a little brown colour.So I took it little late.

Place them on a kitchen towel and drain the excess oil.

Cool them and store it in an air tight container.

 

Serves good with a tea or coffee

 

 

 

 

 

HANDY TIPS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Wheat flour will be less crispier than the normal Maida flour.If u are not worried about the health aspects then u can try using Maida
• Instead of red chillies u can use green chillies too.I used the Mangalore Red chilly to give a less spicy but a red coloured Thukkada.
• If u are using green chillies it will not change to brown colour after frying.
• Sprinkle water little by little and then make a dough.Don't add water all at once.let the dough be little stiff.
• Make it into thin slices.More thinner the slices more crispier the thukkadas are
• Instead of grinding the Jeera u can add it directly and make a dough.
• Instead of using whole chillies u can add chilli powder too.
• Some add Saunf/Sombu too while making the dough.
• Fry it nicely till the oil bubbles settle so that the thukkada become crispier.
• They taste more delicious the next day of preparation!!
• The dark colour is due to the variety of chilli used and the wheat flour.Or else u will end up with a white based snack..
• U can also use 50-50 maida and wheat flour combo
• Fry them in medium flame.If u fry them in high flame then it will cook soon and will not be crispier
• If u didn't end up with crispier thukkadas these may be the reason
• The dough is not thick/hard
• The chappathi rolled is quite thick.
• Not fried well.