Make Rice Papad

Papads are thin and crisp wafers that are served in India and are usually prepared for Holi. These wafers can be made with a variety of different flours, including rice. To make rice papads you can either make a rice flour batter or a rice flour dough. The papads are then dried in the sun and cooked to create a delicious snack or side dish.

Ingredients

Papad Batter

• 1 cup rice flour
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon salt

Papad Dough

• 1 teaspoon Ajwain
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 4-5 teaspoons green chili
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 teaspoons papad kharo or baking soda.
• 4 cups rice flour

Steps

Making Papads with Batter

1. Make or purchase rice flour. You can purchase rice flour, or sometimes called rice powder, at the grocery store. This item is typically in the organic or health food department and is found in brand’s such as Bob’s Red Mill.
   • You can also easily make rice flour yourself using a blender.
2. Make the rice flour batter. Add two cups of water to one cup of rice flour and mix together. You want there to be no visible lumps and for the mixture to be a liquid, batter-like consistency.
   • Mix in ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds and ½ teaspoon salt to the batter.
3. Cook the batter over boiling water. Boil two cups of water. Grease a metal plate with oil. Pour batter on the plate, covering the entirety of it. Put the metal plate on top of the boiling water then put a lid over it.
   • Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
4. Take the papad off of the plate. When the papad is finished cooking, take it off of the metal plate carefully with a knife. The papads will change color from white to light brown when they are finished cooking. Lay the papad on a cotton cloth.
5. Make the rest of the papads. Continue to put the papad batter on the metal plate. Make one papad at a time. Spread the papads evenly on a cotton cloth.
   • Have multiple plates so you can get one papad ready while the one before it is cooking.

Making Papads with Dough

1. Boil water and spices. Boil 7 cups of water then add 1 teaspoon Ajwain, 1 teaspoon cumin seed, 4 teaspoons salt, 4-5 teaspoons green chili, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, and 3 teaspoons papad kharo or baking soda.
   • Stir everything together and turn down the heat.
2. Add rice flour to the water and spice mixture. Add 4 cups of rice flour to the mixture of water and spices. Turn the heat back up and bring it back to a boil. Mix the flour with a wooden spoon then turn the heat off. Continue to mix the rice flour until it is a dough consistency.
3. Separate the dough into pieces. Take a chunk of dough and press it into a flat ball. Press two indents in it with your finger. Do this with all of the dough.
4. Cook the dough over boiling water. Set around three chunks of dough on the plate at a time. Put the plate over a pot of water. Put a lid on top of the plate and bring the water to a boil. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Cut and mash the dough. When the dough is finished cooking, put the dough chunks in a bowl. Cut the cooked dough into smaller pieces then mash it with the bottom of a glass.
   • Mash the dough quickly before it gets cold.
   • Make sure there are no lumps in the dough and that it is smooth.
6. Flatten the dough into papads. Roll the dough balls into spheres then flatten them. The easiest way to flatten them is with a peri press. If you don’t have a peri press, you can use a rolling pin or a flat and heavy object.
   • Cover the dough with a piece of saran wrap before you flatten it to avoid the dough getting stuck.

Drying and Cooking the Papads

1. Dry the papads in the sun. Lay the papads on a cloth in the sun for two days. This will make them hard and crisp. You can store the dried papads for a year or more and wait to cook them until you are ready to eat them.
2. Fry the papads. Heat oil in a pan then put the papads in the oil one at a time. The edges will curl inward then the middle will cook. When they are crisped and fried, take them out. Don’t fry them too much or they will fall apart.
3. Grill the papads to avoid greasiness. Turn the flame on very low on a gas stove. Grab a pair of tongs and lay the papad over the flame. Move the papad around so it does not burn and that every area of the papad gets exposed to the flame, including the edges. The papad is finished when the edges begin to curl.
4. Microwave the papads to save time. Get a paper towel slightly damp and rub it on the papads. Put one or two papads on a plate in the microwave. Cook them for 20-30 seconds then flip them and cook them again for 20-30 seconds.
5. Put the papads in a toaster. You can cook the papads in a toaster for a quick and effective method. Cut the papads in half and place each half in a toaster. Make sure your toaster is on a light toast setting and that you keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
6. Let the papads cool. Before handling, make sure the papads are completely cool. If you handle them too quickly, they might break.
   • Cool fried papads on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Tips

• Make plenty in summer when there is a lot of sunshine, and enjoy them in the winter.
• You can store dry, uncooked papads at room temperature in boxes; they keep for months.

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Sources and Citations

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