Pappads are of different types. How many types do you know?
Can you even imagine a South Indian vegetarian meal in a banana leaf without ‘pappad’? It’s known as ‘Pappadam’ and ‘Appalam’ in Malayalam and Tamil and is made by using the ingredients black gram daal, rice powder and tapioca powder. A few other combinations are also experimented with nowadays. Now, pappads are gaining popularity in foreign countries too, and that’s the reason why they export them in large quantities.
‘Appalam’ is common in Tamil Nadu vegetarian meals and is slightly bigger than a pappadam. There are two types of common appalam, and both are light yellow in colour. Appalam without bubbles is really tasty. If we go a little north, it tastes different. It adds cumin seeds, and the salt content is also high.
Pappads are made with chowari (sago) too in some places. Chowari are small, round balls made of rice and are most commonly used while preparing pradhamans and payasams to thicken them. Such pappads are most common in UP and is made in different colours. It’s used as a 4 o’clock snack, and it is an amazing combination with tea. When it is fried in oil, its size increases by 4 times. In Tamil Brahmin families, sago pappads are also used as snacks for tea.
North Indian papads are slightly bigger, and they add pepper corns in its preparation. Its surface area is around 8 inches and crushed pepper is spread while papads are made. They resemble a yellow silk handkerchief with black spots to some extent.
Pappads are of different types. Similarly, they are served differently, too. In Kerala meals, they are placed at the left tip of the banana leaf beside the banana chips. As per serving rules, the pappad should be placed on a banana leaf before the person sits to eat. In Kerala sadyas (meals), plain pappadam deep-fried in coconut oil is used.
In Tamil Nadu meals, papads are served along with different fries and kondattams. Appalam is served instead of pappadam. For North Indian meals, they are not fried in hot oil. Instead, they are fried oil-free and folded to resemble half-moon and served along with ‘thali’.
In Rajasthan, papads are served as the ‘last item’ when meals are just ending. Sweets are used as starters for Rajasthan meals. Their meals start with ladoos and end with papads. If they ask ‘shall we bring pappads’, it means their meals has ended.
Thus goes the pappad stories. In this post, you can read a unique & tasty variety of Pappadam – Chakka Pappadam. Enjoy reading!
Chakka Pappadam (Jackfruit Pappad) Recipe
Pictorial Representation Only
Ingredients for Chakka Pappadam (Jackfruit Pappad):
1. Raw Jackfruit flesh (Pacha Chakka) – 4 cups, cut into very fine pieces.
2. Turmeric powder – A pinch
Pepper powder – 1 small spoon
Chilli powder – ½ small spoon
Ajwain (Ayamodakam) – ¼ small spoon
Salt – As required
How to prepare Chakka Pappadam (Jackfruit Pappad)?
1. Cook the jackfruit, adding sufficient water.
2. Add ingredients no: 2 to the cooked jackfruit, and grind well in a mixer.
3. The mixture should not be too loose or too tight and should be enough to spread on a sheet.
4. Take a thick plastic sheet and spread a little oil on the top.
5. Now take the jackfruit mixture and make small balls.
6. Then spread each ball on the plastic sheet like pappads, into a thin, round shape.
7. Now dry your papads under the sun for a few days till the water content is fully gone.
8. Turn both sides to dry them well, and it may take a couple of weeks.
9. Now you can preserve them in air-tight containers and fry them in hot oil whenever you need.
Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine April 1-14, 2017
Read a few more interesting pappad/pappadam recipes here. Click on the images in the gallery to read.
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