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Papad churi
Crushed papad with ghee
पापड़ चूरी: roasted papad crushed with hot ghee, raw onion and red chilli, the crunchy side to Rajasthani dal-baati
Picture a Jodhpur dal-baati-churma lunch: baked wheat baatis drowning in ghee, a pot of panchmel dal, sweet churma, and a small bowl of something red-flecked and crunchy that goes onto every bite. That is papad churi, roasted papads broken into small shards and tossed with warm ghee, raw onion, red chilli powder and coriander. It is also made in Marwari homes as a quick accompaniment to khichdi or bajra roti when there's no time to cook a sabzi. The result is salty, smoky, peppery and rich, with the sweetness of raw onion cutting through. Use spicy Bikaneri urad papads if you can get them. Chef's tip: add no salt until you have tasted it; the papad and its papad khar already carry plenty, and a mixture that tastes right on its own will be too salty with dal.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 spicy urad dal papadslarge, Bikaneri style; check the label is gluten-free
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 pinch salt (optional)only if needed
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Roast each 4 spicy urad dal papads over a medium gas flame with tongs, turning constantly, for 20–30 seconds until blistered and pale gold all over. Let them cool for a minute so they crisp fully.
3 minStep 2: Break the papads with your hands into pieces the size of a fingernail. Don't crush them to a powder; the churi should crunch. Common mistake: mixing the ghee in too early, which turns the papad soft and chewy.
2 minStep 3: Warm 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan over a low heat, add ½ tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle for 20 seconds, then turn off the heat and stir in 1 tsp red chilli powder. The ghee should turn bright red but not smoke.
1 minStep 4: Pour the hot ghee over the papad, add 1 red onion and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and toss well. Taste and add 1 pinch salt only if it needs it. Serve straight away, while the papad is still crisp.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does papad churi take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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