Papadam

Papad is likely derived from the Sanskrit word parpaṭa (पर्पट), meaning a flattened disc described in early Jain and Buddhist literature.[1][2] Papad are known by several names in the various languages of India, e.g. appalam in Tamil; happala in Kannada; papadam (පපඩම්) in Sinhala; pappadam in Malayalam; appadam (అప్పడం) in Telugu; papad in Marathi,[3] Punjabi and Gujarati; and pampad (ପାମ୍ପଡ) in Odia.

Jackfruit papadam from Bengaluru

Different types of papads are sold at stores.

Papad recipes vary from region to region and from households to households. They are typically made from a flour or paste derived from lentils, chickpeas, black gram, rice, or potatoes.

Salt and peanut oil are added to make a dough, which can be flavored with seasonings such as chili, cumin, garlic, or black pepper. Sometimes, baking soda or slaked lime are also added. The dough is shaped into thin, round flatbreads, dried (traditionally in the sun), and can be cooked by deep frying, roasting over an open flame, toasting, or microwaving, depending on the desired texture.

Bikaner is the hub of chickpea and green gram papad manufacturing. Potato papad is made in Varanasi. Most sweet- and snack-selling national companies are also involved in this business. In the north, papads made in the city of Amritsar and its surrounds are especially famous. The Lijjat Papad company, headquartered in Mumbai, is a major manufacturer, and is often cited as an exemplar of the women's empowerment movement in India, as it is run entirely by women.

In most Indian restaurants around the world, they are served as an appetizer with dips, which often include mango chutney, lime pickle, onion chutney, and raita.[4] Masala papad with sev, onion, tomato and coriander leaves is one of India's most popular appetizers.

Papadam can be prepared from different ingredients and methods. Arguably, the most popular recipe uses flour ground from hulled split black gram[5] mixed with black pepper, salt, and a small amount of vegetable oil and a food-grade alkali, and the mixture is kneaded. A well-kneaded dough is then flattened into very thin rounds and then dried and stored for later preparation and consumption. It may also contain rice, jackfruit, sago, etc., as main ingredients.

Cracked black pepper, red chili powder, asafoetida, or cumin or sesame seeds are often used as flavoring agents. Papadam is also made from rice flakes, ragi or horsegram.[6]

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  Kerala pappadam
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  Rice papadam
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  Uradal papadam
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  Fire-toasting papadam
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  A Nepali thali with papad
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  Raw jackfruit papad in coastal Karnataka
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  Papadams with chutney are often served as an appetizer at South Asian restaurants around the world.

• Indian bread – Wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine
• Sandige – Fried snack, originating from the Indian subcontinent

• Media related to Papadams at Wikimedia Commons