Masala Papad Makes a Wonderful 10-Minute Appetizer or Snack

Masala papads are healthy and delicious starters that you can make in a jiffy. Believe me, served fresh, it will be a great hit at any party. Do try this snack today and please your family!

Food Type: Indian starter snack (appetizer)

Preparation time: 8 minutes

Cooking Time: One minute per papad frying

Papad ready in 10 minutes

Serves: 6 masala papads

• 6 papads store brought, available in Indian stores, select the 'Punjabi Masala papad'
• 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup carrot grated
• 1/2 cup tomato finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coconut grated (optional) gives good taste
• 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Fry papads one by one in hot oil and spread on an absorbent paper.
2. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Keep in mind that the papad already contains salt and pepper in it. Add less chili powder and salt. Taste the mix for accuracy.
3. Spread 2 tsp mix on the fried papad. The topping should be spread at the time of eating. If you leave the papad with the topping, it becomes soggy due to the moisture content in the topping.
4. Enjoy the freshness of the papad with topping!

This papad is made of urad dal, pepper powder, and salt. It is available in packets of 25 or 50, typically. These are dry papads that can be stored for a few months in an airtight container. No need to refrigerate.

You can even roast the papads on a stove or oven. They are spicy and tasty. You can use papads as a side dish, even without the topping. The papads are thin, crunchy, and have a special flavor of urad dal.

We should remember here that urad is a rich source of protein and vitamin B. It has many other nutrients that are good for health like iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, etc.

The topping has many good vegetables like fresh onions, carrots, tomatos, and coconut. As I mentioned, this dish has urad dal, pepper, and salt. Hence, the whole combination is healthy!

You can fry the papads in advance and can store in an airtight container for a later use. The topping mix remains fresh for a few hours if stored in a refrigerator. Just store the papad and the mix separately because you don't want the papads to get soggy.