This Gujarati savoury food snack, called Fafda, can be made during Dussehra in the evenings to get the family together for a healthy snack or can be presented at a Sunday breakfast table with jalebi. This dish will definitely garner you compliments and blessings. The essence of the vibrant Gujarati culture is joy.
Fafda is a Gujarati breakfast staple that sells like hot cakes in every gulley in Gujarat. There are five major regions of Gujarat that contribute to the unique touch of Gujarati cuisine. The most remarkable feature of Gujarati cuisine is that it is distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time.
The Gujaratis are largely vegetarians. They get their proteins mostly from pulses. The pulses always become more nutritious on soaking. By fermenting them further, the Gujarati food becomes packed with proteins without non-vegetarian sources. That is why this cuisine has a wide range of pulses used. Gram flour or besan is made of chana dal which is widely grown in Gujarat.
Fafda is made by gently rolling thin crisps of gram flour dough. A peculiar spice called Papad Khar is added to let the flour rise without the pungent feel of soda. It is a very popular Indian Street food that is sought after in the whole of India, especially associated with Dussehra. With its side of raw papaya chutney, called ‘sambharo’, the taste is elevated even more.
The trickiest part of making Fafda is rolling out the crispy layers with the perfect consistency of besan dough. The dough must be clay-like. Once done, enjoy the side of shredded raw papaya with your near and dear ones and let the Dussehra vibe kick in.
Here’s the recipe for Fafda.
Ingredients
- 2 cups gram flour
- ½ tsp carom seeds
- 1½ tsp papad khar
- 3 tbsp water
- 2½ tbsp oil
- Salt, to taste
- Oil to deep-fry
For papaya sambharo
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 5-6 curry leaves
- 2 to 3 fresh green chilies (chopped)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cup raw papaya (grated)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ lemon juice
Method
- In a large bowl, add gram flour, carom seeds, papad khar, oil, and salt together. Use ¾ of the oil at this stage.
- Add water and knead into a soft dough.
- Now, apply the remaining oil and knead it once.
- Take a portion of the dough and place it on a greased surface.
- With the base of your palm, drag the dough in a straight line, holding the dough at the starting point with the other hand this will form a strip.
- Heat oil in a kadhai on medium flame.
- Fry these strips over medium heat till crisp.
- For papaya kachumber or sambharo, in a pan heat oil, add mustachilies, curry leaves, green chilies, and turmeric powder, and sauté for a minute.
- Now, add grated papaya, salt, and sugar and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Finish with lemon juice and switch off the flames and serve with Fafda.