An Indian meal is incomplete without the crunch of crispy and savoury papad. Made with various ingredients such as urad dal, moong dal and rice, each region has their own special version of this side dish. But have you ever tried aam papad? Generally, the term papad is used for thin and crunchy Indian wafer, which is either roasted or fried before serving with food. But on the other hand, aam papad has a soft texture and sweet taste which is prepared with ripe mango pulp and sugar and unlike the other varieties, it is not an accompaniment of dal-chawal, but a snack.
Known by plenty of other names such as amawat, aamsotto, mambka and maanga thera in different regions, it is popular across the country. Mangoes have a huge fanbase in India and aam papad are among the top delights that features this summer fruit. It can be prepared with any kind of mango including dasheri, langra, badami and kesar but alphonso is always the favourite choice.
Coming to its origin, aam papad is believed to have its roots in the state of Rajasthan where it was traditionally made by sun-drying the sadabahar or kesar mango pulp. This process was simple yet very time-consuming and required a lot of patience and skill. Slowly, its popularity travelled throughout India and became a common snack in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Enjoyed for generations in many households, the preserved sweet is prepared by simmering the ripe mango pulp with sugar until thickened, spreading it thinly on trays and letting it bask in the sunlight for several days, until it forms a thin, translucent film. This natural drying process not only concentrates the flavour but also acts as a method of preservation, allowing the snack to be enjoyed throughout the year.
While the classic aam papad has a sweet and tangy taste, there are many modern variations of this snack which incorporates flavours like chili powder and cumin. Besides eating on its own, aam papad is also relished as desserts or added to salads.
Aam Papad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup mango chopped
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon ghee
Method
- In the blender put mango and sugar and blend to smooth paste without adding any water.
- Then transfer the puree to a skillet and begin to cook, stirring continuously until it thickens well.
- Now add cardamom powder and mix well. Further, brush ghee on a plate and ttransfer the puree onto it and spread uniformly.
- Sun-dry for up to a week. Scrape the sides using the knife. Peel gently without damaging the aam papad. Finally, cut into the desired shape and enjoy.