The aroma of freshly fried papdi wafting through the air, transporting you to the vibrant streets of India. These crispy, small round crackers are a staple in Indian cuisine, particularly in chaat dishes like papdi chaat. As an experienced cook with over 25 years of expertise in Indian and international cuisines, I'm delighted to share with you, beta, my tried-and-true recipe for homemade papdi. This traditional recipe yields 50 crispy papdi, perfect for snacking or adding to your favorite chaat creations. Compared to store-bought or restaurant versions, our optimized recipe uses healthier ingredients like all-purpose flour, cream of wheat, and minimal oil, reducing the overall fat and sodium content.
In a medium mixing bowl or food processor, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of wheat, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Pour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over the flour mixture and mix well with fingertips or pastry cutter until the flour becomes well coated with oil.
Gradually add 5 tablespoons water to make a stiff dough. You may need to add 1 to 2 teaspoons more water, if needed.
Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until it becomes smooth.
Divide the dough into 4 parts and flatten each into a large disk.
Cover the disks with a cloth and let them sit for 10 minutes.
On a flat surface, roll out each disk into a 7-inch circle.
Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut into circles.
Stack the circles on top of each other and pierce with a toothpick, making 5-7 holes.
Separate each circle and place it on a cloth-lined plate.
Heat about 3 inches oil in a wok/karahi or a medium skillet over medium heat.
Oil is ready when a pinch of dough dropped into the hot oil quickly rises to the top but does not turn brown right away.
Carefully drop several papdi at a time into the hot oil.
Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning 1-2 times until the papdi are light brown on both sides.
Drain on a paper towel.