PAPDI

 

Last year when lockdown was announced, I had a sudden craving for Chaats. I walked about (the house) wondering when I could next get my hands on some good Papdi Chaat. I don’t have Chaats that often, probably a few times a year, but last year, it felt like I had been deprived of the most essential food item.

Someone suggested I make them at home.

Chaat at home? What would I do for the papdis and ‘sweet chutney’?

So I made the papdis and sweet chutney and enjoyed Papdi Chaat at home and the next day ( since I had become a chaat expert) proceed to make Aloo Tikki Chaat. This was one of the dishes that I didn’t have to look at others with raised eyebrows for approval. It may not have been perfect with the limited ingredients I had, but I had finally made Chaat at home and it was tasty enough to be put up on the blog. (Sweet chutney and Chaat recipes to follow).

When things got back to a ‘false normal’, not once did I eat or order in Chaat and now as we realise that the wave has not ebbed but is looming over our heads, I find myself looking for Chaat ingredients in the kitchen.

Recipe is from Hebbar’s Kitchen.

These Papdis are baked and not fried. The baked ones will not be as flaky and crunchy as the fried ones and let’s admit it, the fried ones always do taste better. I would still recommend baking, unless you plan to eat them plain.

PAPDI

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour (Atta)- 2 cups

Fine semolina (rawa)- ¼ cup

Ajwain (carom seeds)- 1 tsp

Salt – ¾ tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp (for the dough)

Water – about ½ cup

Method :

1.     Mix the wheat flour and semolina. To this add ajwain, salt and oil. Mix well.

2.     Add required amount of water and knead into a tight dough.

3.     Roll out the dough and cut out small rounds as you see in the picture.

4.     Prick holes into the Papdis so that they don’t puff up wile baking/frying.

5.     Either fry the Papdis in oil or bake at 180C for about 10 mins.

6.     Done.