DIY papads and fryums

Papads and fryums are common yet most relished snacks. Though readymade shop-bought papads and fryums are a convenient option, they are also boring and often unhealthy. Making papads and fryums at home ensures that they are hygienically prepared with the freshest of ingredients. They also open up the option of experimenting. One can try using various vegetables or their juices to make delicious and healthy fryums.

In these difficult times, when everybody is looking out for constructive family-time ideas, making papads and fryums is the perfect activity for all. So give it a go! Here are few easy recipes penned down for you to try:

1. Tapioca Papads

Cook time: 45 minutes + drying time

Ingredients:

Tapioca: 500 kg

Rice flour: ¼ cup

Green chilli: 10

Water: ½ -1 litre

Asafoetida: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 2 tbsp

Lemon: 3-4

Coconut oil: 2-3 tbsp

Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Peel off tapioca and clean well.
2. Chop tapioca into small chunks.
3. Finely chop green chillies.
4. Puree the tapioca and green chillies in a blender.
5. Add in the rice flour and blitz the puree. To this, add 250 ml of water and blend again. The puree should be of a runny consistency.
6. Take a wide and heavy-bottomed vessel. Pour another 250 ml of water and mix in the puree. Season well with salt. If the puree runny enough, add some more water.
7. Cook this puree on a slow flame. Ensure to stir continuously to avoid lumps.
8. Cook till the whole thing comes together as a single mass with a glossy texture. At this stage, add oil and mix well. Coconut oil works best.
9. Take this out in a bowl and let it cool completely.
10. To this, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Squeeze in the juice of the lemons.
11. Take a clean plastic sheet and spoon the puree onto it. Spread each spoonful into 4-inch diameter discs.
12. Let this dry in bright sunlight for 3-4 days. Flip them over, once one side is dry.
13. Once well dried, these papads can be stored in an airtight container.

2. Rice Papads

Cook time: 60 minutes + drying time

Ingredients:

Rice flour: 5 cups

Sago: 1 cup

Green chillies: 7-8

Asafoetida: 1 tsp.

Carom seeds: 1 tsp.

Lemon: 3-4

Coconut oil: 2 tbsps.

Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Wash the sago well and soak it for 7-8 hours.
2. Grind this into a smooth paste.
3. Grind green chillies and salt together.
4. Take a bowl and add in the rice flour, sago paste, chilli paste, and asafoetida.
5. Spread this on a plate and steam it for 15 minutes.
6. Take this out and add in carom seeds and juice of the lemons.
7. Add coconut oil and knead this well till a soft and smooth dough is formed. Kneading should be done when the dough is fairly hot.
8. Take the lemon-sized dough and start rolling in thin discs. Rice flour can be used for dusting.
9. Spread these papads on a clean sheet and let them dry for a couple of days.

3. Urad Dal Papads

Cook time: 30 minutes + drying time

Ingredients:

Urad dal: 500 grams

Salt: to taste

Baking soda: ¼ tsp

Kasoori methi: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 1-2 tsp

Asafoetida: ½ tsp

Oil: 1 cup

Method:

1. Grind urad dal into a fine powder.
2. Sift the urad dal powder with baking soda and salt.
3. Powder kasuri methi and add it to the flour.
4. Add in chilli powder, asafoetida, and oil.
5. Knead it into a smooth dough with water.
6. Roll out thin papads and spread them on a clean sheet to dry.
7. Dry them in bright sunlight for 3-4 days.
8. These can be stored in air-tight containers.

4. Sago fryums

Cook time: 45 minutes + drying time

Ingredients:

Sago: ½ kg

Green chillies: 3-4

Salt: to taste

Carom seeds: 1 ½ tsp

Asafoetida: ½ tsp

Lemon: 2-3

Method:

1. Wash and soak the sago for about 7-8 hours.
2. Grind green chillies and salt.
3. Take a large vessel and boil 1½ litre of water.
4. Add in the carom seeds, asafoetida, and chilli paste.
5. Add in the soaked sago and let it cook.
6. Keep stirring otherwise lumps would be formed.
7. Cook till the sago pearls go transparent. This will take 20-25 minutes on a slow flame.
8. Remove from heat and add in lemon juice.
9. Cool completely. Spread a spoonful on a clean sheet.
10. Dry this under bright sunlight for 3-4 days. Turn them over once dry.

Cook time: 45 minutes + soaking and drying time

Ingredients:

Rice flour: 2 cups

Sago: ¼ cup

Onion: 1

Green chillies: 3-4

Asafoetida: ½ tsp

Salt: to taste

Lemon: 2-3

Oil: 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak sago for about 7-8 hours. Grind this into a smooth paste.
2. Grind onion, green chillies, and salt.
3. Take about 750 ml of water and boil it in a heavy bottom vessel.
4. Make a slurry of sago paste, rice flour, and onion-chilli paste.
5. Pour this slurry into the boiling water. Add in asafoetida and oil.
6. Stir continuously and cook on slow flame for about 20-25 minutes.
7. The whole thing would come together as a single mass.
8. Cool completely before spreading to dry.
9. To make fryums, spoon these into small discs and spread them with the back of the spoon.
10. This takes 3-4 days of hot sunlight to dry completely.
11. This can be stored in air-tight containers.

Hope you like these crunchy and delicious recipes. Do let us know how they turn out!