Masala Papdi

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What is Masala Papdi?

Papdi is an Indian, savoury, flaky, deep fried cracker made with all purpose flour that is served as a snack (farsan/nasto). It’s made with spices, hence the name “masala”. The papdis are flavoured with carom and cumin seeds, as well as other basic spices like turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder, making it a perfect tea-time snack. It’s simple to make and requires only basic pantry ingredients.

These papdi crackers can also be used as an ingredient in many chaat recipes such as bhel puri and papdi chaat by simply making them round (instead of strips). Note: this recipe is often confused with papdi-gathiya which is similar recipe, but made with mainly besan (gram flour).

How to make this recipe kid friendly?

You can make this masala papdi recipe more kid friendly by simply eliminating the chilli powder and reducing the quantity of garam masala. Alternatively, you can also make plain papdi if your child does not like masalas. Simply skip on all the spices and you can make a simple and delicious papdi that they can munch on!

Can I use besan (gram flour) to make the Papdi?

Yes, you can! However, since besan is yellow in colour, your papdi might not be the same colour as mine once you fry them. Furthermore, besan has a different flavour profile which will make your papdi taste slightly different. If you intend to use besan, please do keep in mind that every besan is different (depending on the brand), your dough might require more or less water depending on the brand you use.

Why do we need to add baking soda to this recipe?

The baking soda helps to make the papdi crispy and also enables them to slightly expand when you fry them! I definitely wouldn’t recommend you to skip it as it provides cruchiness to your papdi.

A lot of people often use papad khar to provide crispiness to the papdi and also to ensure they expand when you fry them. Since papad khar is not a commonly found ingredient, baking soda is a great substitute that is readily available everywhere.

Why does the recipe call for very little water?

You don’t need a lot of water for this recipe since you want the dough to be soft (just like pastry dough). I would recommend you to add the water gradually so you know how much you need. If you add too much water, you’ll need to add in more all purpose flour to compensate for the extra water you added.

Can I make the Papdi without the masala (spices)?

Yes, you can! You can use this recipe to make regular papdis as well. They're equally delicious and you can enjoy them with a cup of masala chai on the side!

Can I make the Papdi in advance and store it?

Yes! This snack has a decent shelf life. You can store it in an airtight container for at least a month.

Can I bake or air fry the Papdis instead?

Yes, you can! The taste and texture of the papdis are not exactly the same when baked, but they make a decent healthier alternative. If you have an air fryer, you can certainly try air frying too and they will turn out great.

How can I serve the Papdi?

You can serve the papdi warm or once they’ve cooled down on its own or alongside your favourite dip or chutney. If you are feeling a bit fancy, you can crunch it up and serve it alongside your favourite chaat. I love to make these papdi in circular shapes and serve it topped with some yogurt, chopped potatoes, onions, a number of chutneys as well as some freshly chopped coriander. If you’ve never tried papdi chaat, I would definitely urge you to make some soon!

Any substitute for the ingredients mentioned?

Unfortunately, there are no substitutes available for this recipe. It requires only a few ingredients which should be available at your nearest grocery store. However, if you would like to make plain papdis (to be used in other recipes such as papdi chaat or just as a plain snack), you can eliminate the spices like cumin seeds, garam masala, chilli and turmeric.

Any cooking tips for this recipe?

Make sure to crumble your dough properly, making sure it has the perfect soft texture. Note: watch video for a visual guide.
Add your water a spoonful at a time when making the dough.
Prick the rolled dough enough, so that the papdis don’t fluff and burst up when frying.
Fry the papdis at a low flame so that they actually cook from the inside and don’t get too brown on the outside very quickly.