Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Palakkayalu
Palakkayalu (Coconut Biscuits (Crackers))

Palakkayalu

Coconut Biscuits (Crackers)
Vegetarian●●●Origin Tamil Nadu/Andhra PradeshPrep 30 minutesCook 20 minutesMakes 20–24

Crispy, savoury South Indian snacks made from rice flour and fresh coconut, speckled with sesame seeds and chilli. They are deep-fried until golden and brittle, making an addictive, rich tea-time crunch.

Dough spices

2.6 gMixed into the flour (step 1)
01
Chilli powder · Lal Mirch Powder
2.6 g1 teaspoon
spice
Stir together so the sesame seeds and chilli powder are evenly distributed.

Everything else

01
Rice flour · Chawal ka atta
500 g
flour
02
Sesame seed · Til
3 g1 teaspoon
nut/seed
03
Butter · Makhan
28 g2 tablespoons
dairy
04
Fresh coconut · Taaza Nariyalgrated
175 g½ coconut
fruit
05
Ghee
250 g
oil/fat
06
Salt · Namak
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Combine 500 g rice flour, the dough spices, 28.2 g butter, and salt to taste in a wide mixing bowl.
  2. Fold in 175 g grated fresh coconut and approximately 1 tablespoon of water, kneading until a cohesive dough comes together; work in a few extra drops of water if the mixture seems too crumbly.
  3. Shape the dough into 20–24 small portions, roll them into balls, and flatten each between your palms into a thin round cracker.
  4. Heat 250 g ghee in a deep pan or kadhai to 180°C (350°F), or until a bread cube browns in 30 seconds, then dial down the flame slightly.
  5. Lower the crackers into the hot ghee in batches and deep-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until evenly golden brown.
  6. Lift out using a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and allow to cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight tin for up to 10 days.

Don't have something?

Rice flour
  • Cornflour

    Use about 60–70% of the weight for thickening; for coatings use the same weight but the crust is denser.

  • Plain flour

    Use the same weight for coatings; contains gluten, browns faster and is less crisp.

  • Fine semolina

    Use the same weight for crisp coatings; coarser texture and needs a short rest.

Sesame seed
  • White sesame seed

    Use the same weight. Toast lightly before use; white seeds are milder and give a cleaner look.

  • Black sesame seed

    Use the same weight. They are stronger and more bitter; toast briefly and use slightly less if the dish is delicate.

  • Peanut

    Use the same weight, crushed or chopped. It gives crunch but not the same nutty sesame aroma.

Butter
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 100% of the weight. If the original recipe relies on salted table butter, add a pinch of salt to balance.

  • Ghee

    Use 80% to 85% of the weight. Ghee is pure butterfat with moisture removed; it yields a deeper, nuttier flavour and handles high heat better.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 80% of the weight for frying or tempering. The dish loses sweet dairy richness but remains glossy and light.

Chilli powder
  • Red chilli powder

    Use 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.

  • Kashmiri chilli powder

    Use 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.

  • Cayenne pepper

    Use 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Fresh coconut
  • Desiccated coconut

    Use 50% to 60% of the weight, soaked in equal parts warm water for 15 minutes before grinding. Works well for chutneys, though texture is slightly finer and sweeter.

  • Coconut milk

    Use 1.2 times the weight in curries. Adds creamy richness and authentic flavour, but makes gravies smoother and eliminates the grated, chewy mouthfeel.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Similar dishes

Arisi Pulao
Steamed Rice & Coconut Snacks
Arisi Pulao is sweet, mild, and moist, whereas this dish is savoury, rich, and spicy.
  • Same: Arisi Pulao shares the base combination of rice flour and fresh coconut with this dish.
  • Different: Arisi Pulao is steamed with granulated sugar and lacks the butter, deep-frying ghee, sesame seeds, and chilli powder found in this dish.
Puttu
Steamed Rice with Coconut
Puttu is mild, gently sweet, and crumbly, whereas this dish is spicy, savoury, rich, and crunchy.
  • Same: Puttu also pairs fresh coconut with rice flour and salt.
  • Different: Instead of being deep-fried in ghee with butter, sesame seeds, and chilli powder, Puttu is steamed without added fats or spices.
Yel Adai
Coconut & Rice Pancakes
Yel Adai is sweet and fragrant with cardamom, contrasting with the spicy, savoury flavour of this dish.
  • Same: Both recipes are South Indian rice-based preparations made with fresh coconut and ghee.
  • Different: Yel Adai is steamed in banana leaves with jaggery, cardamom, and lime juice, whereas this dish is deep-fried with chilli powder, sesame seeds, and butter.
Thengaai Saadam
Coconut Rice
Thengaai Saadam tastes nutty, savory and gently warm from whole spices, while this dish is crisp, rich and chilli-hot from deep-frying.
  • Same: Thengaai Saadam shares fresh coconut, rice, salt and chilli with this dish.
  • Different: Thengaai Saadam uses basmati rice, mustard seed, urad dal, dried red chilli, cashew, peanut and curry leaf tempered in vegetable oil, while this dish uses rice flour, sesame seed, butter, chilli powder and ghee and is deep-fried.