Are you on the lookout for a papdi recipe for your chaat? Then look no more; this bite-sized crispy and crunchy Vrat ki Papdi (savory wafers) is a gluten-free and vegan snack that is full of flavor, delicious, and super addictive!
Top it with your favorite toppings and enjoy it as a chaat or pair it with your evening cup of tea.
Do you enjoy eating papdi/savory wafers? How about fresh spinach? What if I told you that this recipe has everything you are looking for in a savory wafer. A perfect recipe that combines all your favorite flavors into one delicious bite-sized snack. Sounds yum, right? Vrat ki papdi
It sure is. You just can’t stop at one.
So, my friends here is a Gluten-free and vegan Vrat ki papdi (savory wafers made with gluten-free flours, fresh spinach, and spices). This is the recipe I grew up on and is my favorite gluten-free snack. My mom would cook up a huge batch of these wafers, as it disappeared pretty quickly.
How to make crispy papdi/wafers?
For crunchy wafers, you need more of dry ingredients and less amount of wet ingredients. For this recipe, we will –
- use gluten-free flour and ghee/butter instead of oil,
- roll the dough thin,
- and fry in medium-hot oil to achieve maximum crunchiness.
Remember the secret to crunchy papdis/wafers is to fry them longer on a medium-low flame until brown and crispy.
Now onto the recipe!
This recipe is made with water chestnut flour (singhara flour) and tapioca flour (powdered sabudana). Another substitute for water chestnut flour (singhara flour) would be buckwheat flour (kuttu flour) or Almond flour.
For a healthier twist, I have tossed some chopped spinach leaves into the mixture.
Can these be baked?
Yes, they can be baked. In fact, I did experiment with a small batch and it turned out great. Bake @375 degrees for 9-10 minutes (or until crispy) turning midway through cooking.
How to store these wafers?
The best way to store these homemade wafers/papdi is in an airtight container at room temperature. Allow the wafers/papdi to cool completely before storing. If you put a lid on the container while the wafers are still warm, the moisture will make it soft and the wafers will lose its crunchiness. So, let the wafers cool for 5-6 hours before transferring into the container.
These vrat ki papdi/savory wafers taste great on its own but pair it with a cup of hot tea for a complete evening snack. It makes a perfect after-school snack too. My kids love the spinach wafer combination.
Do give these super easy vrat ki papdi or savory wafers a try and if you happen to make this recipe, please leave me a comment or share your pics with me on Facebook. I would love to see your creation and would be happy to answer any questions. Thanks!
Other vrat recipes – Sabudana Ladoo, Vrat Rajgiria Puri, Sabudana Uttapam, Kuttu and Singhare ke atte ki Roti, Sabudana Vrat Dosa, Sama ki Tikki , Sabudana Vada and more….
Vrat ki Papdi
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cup Water chestnut flour (Singhara flour)
- 1 cup Tapioca flour (sabudana flour)
- 3/4 cup Fresh Baby Spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 2 teaspoon Dried mint leaves, crushed
- Salt to taste (Vrat salt – Sendha namak)
- 1/4 cup Ghee (to knead the dough)
- Oil for Frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash, chop, and pat dry the spinach leaves.
- Assemble all the ingredients in a bowl (except oil). Slowly add water to form a soft dough. Not much water is required to bind this dough. So, add water slowly. If the dough feels sticky add an extra tablespoon of flour and mix.
- Heat oil in a pan. Grease a platform.
- Roll a ball out of the dough. Singhara flour (water chestnut flour) is a gluten-free flour and like regular flour, it doesn’t have the same elasticity. It can’t be rolled like wheat flour instead it needs to be patted with hands to give it a shape.
- Grease your fingers and start spreading the dough.
- Spread the dough into a circle.
- Use a cutter to cut small rounds out of this circle.
- The other way to make papdi would be to make small dough balls and flatten them in between your palms.
- Remove the extra dough and all that is left is small disc-shaped rounds. Use a fork to prick small holes in the dough to prevent puffing.
- Deep fry the wafers/papdi over medium flame.
- Secret to crunchy papdis/wafers is to fry them longer on a medium-low flame until brown and crispy. Can these be baked? Yes, they can be baked too. Bake @375 degrees for 9-10 minutes (or until crispy) turning midway through cooking.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Read notes above.
- Or serve them hot with a cup of hot tea.