Well, if you know this little fact already, that’s terrific, but if you don’t, I am here to tell you that the generic term “papad” is used and heard most frequently to describe these impossibly light and crispy lentil wafers that are the ubiquitous snack and even accompaniment to an Indian meal.
Papads come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. Mostly, they’re made from rice or lentils that are ground to a paste, seasoned sometimes, and then rolled into the thinnest of thin round shapes and left out to dry. And they can be cooked in any number of ways: deep fry them, roast them on an open flame, even microwave them.
In my house, they are a staple. And all kinds of papads, if you please. The ones that you see here are the ones we make most often. There are the Vattals or rice-crackers in the very first one as well as the ones in the pink bowl. The blue bowl contains the Appalams. And the rest are lentil-based and highly seasoned papads. Seasonings range from black pepper, cumin, red pepper, and a mix of garam masala even.
So, here’s to papads– the snack that you can never get enough of!
