The papadum or papad, as it is more commonly known, is a
crunchy appetizer to be found in most Indian eating establishments. This crisp
thin cracker is a favorite with Indian food lovers and why not? Papad packs
quite a punch within its crispy goodness.
Papads are made from lentil flour. While these days papad is
mass produced using machinery, the traditional method of making papad is by
hand. Water and spices are added to lentil flour to make dough. After resting
the dough for some time, it is rolled into a long sausage like shape. Threads are
used to chop off small sections of the dough roll and these sections are rolled
out till they are paper thin and almost transparent. These are then sundried and packaged.
Variations on the papad include potato flour papad or tapioca pearl papad.
While all varieties of papad are delicious, the lentil flour
papads are most common and widely regarded as having a few health benefits as
well. The spices in the papad, such as cracked pepper and asafetida, help in
digestion. Moreover, the protein content from the lentils also help in
contributing to the health aspect. However, these benefits come with a
condition. Deep-fried papads, while delicious, are not at all healthy. Go for
the oven roasted papads and do not consume more than a couple of them in a day.
Papad dough is high in salt, so too many papads will have adverse effects on
your health.
For those who find plain papads a bit boring, try out the
masala papad. Masala papads usually has a mix of chopped cucumbers, onions and
tomatoes on top. Chopped chili may also be added at times.
Be warned though,
masala papad is not for the faint of heart. Keep some yogurt on hand if the
heat gets too much to handle.
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