A papadam (also spelled poppadom, among other variants), also known as papad, is a snack that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Dough of black gram bean flour is either deep fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy. Other flours made from lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, millet or potato are also used. Papadam is typically served as an accompaniment to a meal in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean or as an appetizer, often with a dip such as chutneys, or toppings such as chopped onions and chili peppers, or it may be used as an ingredient in curries.

Papadam
Fire-roasted papadam
Alternative names
  • Papad
  • papar
  • papadum
  • appadam
  • pampas
  • happala
  • poppadam
  • poppadom
  • appalam
  • pappadam
  • pampad
  • puppodum
  • pappadum
  • pompadom
CourseAppetizer or side dish
Main ingredients
Variations
  • Rice papad
  • tapioca papad
  • sago papad
  • potato papad
  • masala papad
  • garlic papad
  • ginger paped
  • jackfruit papad

Etymology

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Papadam is a loanword from Tamil பப்படம் pappaṭam,[1][2] and is likely derived from Sanskrit पर्पट parpaṭa, meaning a flattened disc described in early Jain and Buddhist literature.[3][4] Papad is known by several names in the various languages of India, e.g. पापड़ pāpaṛ in Hindi; అప్పడం appaḍaṁ in Telugu; அப்பளம் appaḷam or பப்படம் pappaṭam in Tamil; ಹಪ್ಪಳ happaḷa in Kannada; පපඩම් papaḍam in Sinhala; പപ്പടം pappaṭam in Malayalam; पापड pāpaḍ in Marathi;[5] ਪਾਪੜ pāpaṛ in Punjabi; પાપડ pāpaḍ in Gujarati; ପାମ୍ପଡ pāmpaḍa in Odia; and পাপড় pāpaḍ in Assamese.[citation needed]

Regional variations

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Jackfruit papadam from Bengaluru
 
Different types of papads are sold at stores.

Papad recipes vary from region to region and from household to household. They are typically made from a flour or paste derived from lentils, chickpeas, black gram, rice, or potatoes.[6]

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[7]), and can be cooked by deep frying, roasting over an open flame, toasting, or microwaving, depending on the desired texture.

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.[8] Masala papad with sev, onion, tomato and coriander leaves is one of India's most popular appetizers.

Ingredients and preparation

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Papadam can be prepared from different ingredients and methods. One popular recipe uses flour ground from hulled split black gram[9] mixed with black pepper, salt, 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, cumin or sesame seeds are often used as flavoring agents. Papadam is also made from rice flakes, ragi or horsegram.[10]

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See also

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

References

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  1. ^ "poppadom, n." OED Online. December 2006. Oxford University Press.<https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/147794?redirectedFrom=poppadum#>.
  2. ^ "Digital Dictionaries of South Asia". 1962.
  3. ^ "Poppadom - Definition and synonyms of poppadom in the English dictionary". educalingo.com. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Lip-Smacking Ways to Use Papad: From Masala Papad to Rolls and Chaats". NDTV Food. Retrieved 12 September 2022. According to food historian and author KT Achaya, "The parpata (papad) is first mentioned in about 500BC in Buddhist-Jain canonical literature, and the medical authorities note that they are made from pulses like urad, masoor, chana and the like."
  5. ^ Khedkar, Renu; Shastri, Pratima; Bawa, Amarinder Singh (2016). "Standardization, Characterization and Shelf Life Studies on Sandge, a Traditional Food Adjunct of Western India". International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology. 1 (2): 237–243. doi:10.22161/ijeab/1.2.18.
  6. ^ Aoyagi, William Shurtleff; Akiko (17 February 2019). History of Soy Flour, Flakes and Grits (510 CE to 2019): Extensively Annotated Bibliography and Sourcebook. Soyinfo Center. p. 814. ISBN 978-1-948436-06-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ B.Gangwar (21 January 2013). Solving The Pulses Crisis. New India Publishing Agency. p. 197. ISBN 978-93-81450-48-2.
  8. ^ "Poppadom Dips Recipe (easy Indian dips)". 23 May 2023.
  9. ^ J. Smartt; Emmanuel Nwokolo (6 December 2012). Food and Feed from Legumes and Oilseeds. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-4613-0433-3.
  10. ^ "Poha papad, Rice flakes Papad, Summer Recipe". Udupi-Recipes. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
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