Papad (happolu in Konkani or happala in Kannada) is one of the constituents of Konkani as well as many other Indian meal. There are many types of papads. Banana papad is already on this blog. Jackfruit papads and wheat papads are known to many people. Many people make garlic papads. Making all these were possible in many joint families, because all the women joined hands in carrying out the project. Today I am posting this urad papad which many people make at home though it is a tedious procedure. Due to the availability of many branded papads (like Lijjat papads etc.) and non-availability of the assistance from womenfolk, papad making at home is vanishing slowly. Here and there, we find many women organizations making the papads on a large scale and selling them in the market. But some are still sticking to making them at home as they can get papads as per their own taste and to preserve this procedure for their next generation.
When I came to Kodkani after my marriage, I could not get any assistance from any ladies in my house. My mother-in-law had passed away and my sisters-in-laws were married. My husband and father-in-law were the only two people with whom I could share my views. We were getting whole uradgrams from the tenants. These were measured in kolaga which looks like follows.
After a couple of years, I started making papads by taking help from neighboring women. Few of them would come to roll papads at our home and in turn Shilpa and I would go to their homes when they made papads. My father-in-law or husband would help in pounding the dough (which required a lot of strength) on hand grinder(ragdo) which looks likes this –
All the kids would help in spreading them and also making hapli(papad rolled into small discs). We had many rolling boards(called latpaLe) at home to make just these papads. We would usually make one batch of white(with green chilies) and one batch of red(with red chilies). Many years I have also made it many times to give to our relatives. I stopped making them at home after my children moved away from home. Our neighbor started her own small business of making papads and selling them. So now we buy from her.
Usually two types of papads are made. White papads(dhavve happolu) are made with green chillies and red papads(tambde happolu) using red chilli powder. When same quantity of urad dal is used, we get more number of red papads than green papads. I always use Gokarn green chillies which are mildly hot (I know these are not available everywhere, but still thought of mentioning it) as it gives good colour and aroma.
Sometimes handful of special chilies called as sapur mirsang (thin chilies) are used along with normal chilies to give extra spiciness. Following is a picture of such chilies dried.
Many people like eating the dough before making the papads. Usually small balls of dough(called guLi) is dipped in coconut oil and this is a very popular way of eating them. The other popular way is nevri. A thin papad with one or more guLi is rolled and some loose urad flour is kept in center. A small well is created in the center and coconut oil is poured in the well. Now the sides are closed. A small hole is left open at one side. The kids would blow air into them like balloon and secure the end and eat them. This was one of the main attractions for kids in the whole papad making procedure. My husband and son both love this till today. Whenever my son visits us, he goes to neighbor’s home to bring nevri.
Traditionally, these papads are directly held on the hot stove to roast them(be very careful while doing this as they get burnt easily). Then few drops of coconut oil is sprinkled on them and served. But in large functions, these are deep fried as roasting them on stove takes a long time. They can even be roasted in the microwave.
All pictures of papad making were taken at our neighbor’s home as I didn’t make them in a long time now.
Ingredients:
3 kg urad flour
1 kg green chillies
50 grams baking soda
50 grams papadkhar
10 grams asafoetida
250 grams salt
4 teaspoonful pepper
500 ml coconut oil
To make red chilli papads use 500 grams of red chilli powder in place of green chillies.
Method:
Add one teaspoonful of coconut oil to the green chillies and sprinkle some 3-4 teaspoonful of water. Steam boil the green chillies in a pressure-cooker. Cool it to room temperature and then grind it smoothly in a mixer or grinder.
Add soda, papadkhar, asafoetida, salt and pepper powder to the paste and grind again.
Take the paste in a big vessel and mix with the urad flour. Leave aside 2-3 cups of urad flour as it is necessary while rolling papads. Add water enough to make it a dough.
Smear oil to the grinding stone (ragdo in konkani or oralugallu in kannada) and parayi/haare and then pound the mixture and make 4-5 balls. If necessary use a little quantity of oil while making the balls. Do not add much water to it. The balls should be harder than puri dough. Keep it overnight.
Next day, smoothen the dough by taking small pieces in hand and then kneading it by stretching again and again.
Roll into a thick rope, cut into small pieces as in making puris. These are called guLi in Konkani.
While rolling, apply some coconut oil to the balls and then roll. Roll these into papads. The kids would roll them into small discs called hapli .
Then the elders would take hapli and make into big papads. This was to take help from kids, but at the same time, keep all the papads in same size, thickness and shape. To help in rolling, loose dry flour can be used).
Dry them under the hot sun. Store them in airtight container.
Makes about 450 papads
Varada maiyye, what a lovely post! I knew udid paapad making post the guli stage, but all the other things u hv shown as pictorial and with explanation, is simply very informative! I had no idea about the green chillies happolu!
Thank you so much for sharing a very very beautiful post!! Tks to you too Shilpa!
I had no idea about the green chilli happal,tambde paapad bhi bare assa..
lovely post n lots of yummy pics…….thanks for sahring the recipe shilpa…
Varadpachi….Tonda udak aayile. Mauoma used to make goodu happolu too. We were 19 grandchildren and all used to enjoy a great 2 months of summer vacation, untill abt 10 years back. I never knew abt nevri, and the way it eaten. Thanks for such an informative post. Sometime in future, i am sure this post is going to be very helpful to me and the coming generations too.
I simply love these papads. I like both the varieties. Thanks for sharing.
I am at a loss for words. Thank you so much for sharing a piece of life in the past, and this recipe for the present 🙂
Oh my god what a fantastic post. Loved the way u have presented. Too good.
Hello Shilpa,
Once again you have taken me down memory lane. I remember as a kid, watching this whole process of making papads, at my grannys place and being a part of it. That was the last time I ever saw it. Though my granny does get us these papads but I dont think they make it at home anyomore. The chilies that are used are called ‘Tarvati Mirsang’ in GOA. These are very hot but make the papad very tasty.
Also, the tools that are used, which you have documented here, are still available at my grannys home and I have told her not to dispose them ever as I will take them with me if she ever feels they are of no use to her. 🙂
Thanks Once again.
Sheetal
What a reat post! It remimnded of my Mysore ajji’s home when they use make Happalas once year, it was like a community service! Mainly they made akki and Uddin happala, sandige etc. Everybody got to take home some after they are done!:))
Love the kallu to make pd, haven’t seen that in years. Good post girl. You will get award for this from me! ;D
Shilpa: Thanks a lot Asha. Btw…the post is from aayi 🙂
awesome posts Varada aunty! thanks shilpa for such a treat!
Thank you for that wonderful post….simply awesome what traditional cuisine ideas we have in our rich heritage, which we are slowly losing…
Varada pacchi, a big thank you for taking us on a walk down our childhood memory lanes !!!
I remember as a kid, helping out our neighbours and my granny in making these papads and eating the gulis with coconut oil as you have described so well !! I enjoyed eating them this way than fater they were dried\rasted or fried !!
Sometimes, I regrest that all this old art of traditional cooking is dying… I doubt anyone from my generation even makes any wadis, takka mirsang, etc.. We are all too busy with our careers. I feel sad for the next generation, who is missing out on all fun there is in indulging, helping out in these traditional community cooking events.
Hi Mami,
Thanks for posting such a nice recipe, explanation and beautiful pictures. Awesome…
The pics reminded me of my chilhood days when I would make haplis…or rather eat them….:)
Aayi –
You are awesome!!!!!! The pictorial is soo out of the world.. i am a great fan of all those age-old appliances. So much history! Thanks a lot.. your presentation totally totally totally rocks!
Shilpa – I am so glad you introduced Aayi to all of us !
-Mythili
wow !!
superb u reminded me of my childhood days in summer
when all the ladies wud make these !!!!
Wow Aunty, makka thi nevri ani haapla peet mast avadta. Polovnu thonda udak ayile :)..
That was an awesome post aunty. Lots of information
Shilpa:
did you put your mother to work on this? tsk, tsk!
Maiyye – Namaskar and Excellent, now we know where shilpa gets all her skills and ideas – its all in the genes!
It is amazing to see that ‘daantae’; I remember we used it at home; now it is hidden and comes out during weddings and thread ceremonies! 🙂
and yes, even now when i go to Kumta, the neighbor comes over with some Haapla piTh. They know I love it and will order some haapl. :-))
a few years ago, when visiting Kumta, one of our neighbors was doing a little business making papads. See the related post below.
http://arunshanbhag.com/2004/08/05/making-papads/
O, will have to visit you next month! :-))
Namaskar,
Arun
Shilpa: Yeah 🙁 I feel terrible for that because they(aayi and pappa together) spent many hours to type this post because they have just learnt computers and typing is very slow. But they say they enjoy it :). And I am proud of them for doing this 🙂
An award waiting for u on my blog
Uddina Happla bahala chennagi kanutha ide.
Wow Shilpa! They look so lovely! People hardly make papads nowadays! I remember my grandma making papads when I was little.
Hello Varada kaki,
This is indeed a lovely post which will help us and the generations to come! brought back all the childhood memories
when we used to roll and eat the oil soaked laathi’s(hapli) as we goans call them!
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Hello,
I am new to this blog. It brings back a lot of memories from my childhood. Making papads was an annual event during summer vacations in my granny’s house in Kolhapur.
My mom and aunt used to compete in making most of number of papads. As kids our job was to take the rolled papads on the terrace to dry them. Lots of women from neighborhood use to come and help and in turn we would go to their place.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Vidu.
Such a lovely post! Thank you for sharing such beautiful memories..
Aayi-
What a great post !! simply awesome.
It reminds me those childhood days when I used to help my amma in making hapli’s.
Thank you for the detailed post.
Hats off to you !.
a simple post and you prove that u r class apart, love this post.
i wanted to thank you for visitng my page and liking my stuff… seriuosly i idolize u u know.. n the day i saw ur comment i was elated…
hi shilpa
when i was surfing on net ifound your recipies for urad papad is very nice i am motivated to start business of urad papad better than lijjat do you can sugest us ingredients or you can help me…………..
with regards
your
sneh lata gupta
c/o radhey shyam & co
unnao rd sandila up[india] 241204
very good
To Shilpa & Varada Maiyye,
Today I made an attempt with Mirsangi Happol – red chilli papad. It is my very first attempt even though I make good sandiges at home.
I used the measurements above, but the dough was breaking when I wanted to roll it. After keeping overnight it left 2 spoons of oil on the sides .
There was no “untoo” or stickiness at all. I was not even able to stretch it. Rolling it was a delicate process. I had to be careful otherwise it would get cracks while rolling. Even removing it to put on another sheet was difficult. The guli & hapli pics above clearly show unto.
Please tell me what went wrong. I made the udad flour at home using the mixie. I made it as fine as I could.
Also, let me know how much of water I need to make the dough. I used the electric stone ragadoh to make the dough & save my hands from the red chilli powder.
My measurements:
————————-
udad flour – 3kg divided by 16 = 187.5 gm
baking soda – 50 gms divided by 16 = 3.12 gms
papadkar – 50 gm divided by 16 = 3.12 gms
hing – 10 gms divided by 16 = 0.62 gms
salt – 250 gms divided by 16 = 15.6 gms
coconut oil – 500 ml divided by 16 = 31.2 ml
I reduced all the measurements by equal amount because it is the very first time I am trying, so I wanted to make very small amount of red chilli papad. I used the weighing scale to measure the ingredients. I also used less than quarter cup of water to make the dough. I cannot imagine making a dough without any water.
Please tell me if I needed more oil, water or udad flour.
Please help. I still have a bit left.
Shilpa: Anupama, unless the dough is beaten well, it does not get the elasticity. Thats the main part of the papad making. It should be beaten till it becomes smooth and next day again beat it to get it to pliable consistency. I don’t think without this, you can make the papad. If you check the first dough picture, you will notice that it looks rough, only after pounding, it gets the shiny look.
Thank you for the prompt response. I will try that, with the little heavy pestel I have. I( must say that the aroma is really good. So heavenly. I couldn’t resist the temptation to eat some raw dough. Thanks again.
Where I can buy dal flour on line?
gr8 recipe varada aunty. i love it. my wife dont know how to knead the dough.can u pls make a video of all these procedure and send it to my mail or post it on net..i wil be very thankful to u…
Shilpa,
U are amazing young lady:). This brought back the sweet old memories when we used to do the same in our native Tirthahalli. the hapli,nevri,n finally the happolo it is just amazing.You have put down everything to the tee.Excellent narration n demo.
Keep up the good work dear.
Varada mayi,
thanks to you for the lovely post above.
yeh papad maine banaya the aur is papad ki sabne tarif ki
thank you
nanna tai recipe nannage nanep banto.thanks varada aunty.
hi aunty,
i have visited your blog few times its very interesting. i love to cook new recipes and every time i look ur blog i find one. in this urad papad recipe u have mentioned papadkhar in ingredients, can u give me that in some other language..pls
thanks a lot
Shilpa: Sorry, I don’t know the name in any other language.
HAPPALA SO NICE PLESE WRITTEN KANNADA ALSO
Hi varadakka,
You are great with these recepes. Hats off to you. I need one help. My mamama used to make sakkare happala (sugar papad) which we uded to eat during rainy season.
She used to say, “Joo ne pausu yethana te khauche laik jatta” It used to be very soft & sweet, not like usually hard papad. We used to eat it folding with cashews in them and it tasted like so good. My mamama is no more. My mom or aunties dont seem to know how to make it. Can you please upload the method of making it. Maybe your aayi might know. Please……. I’ll be waiting for your reply.
i have come across a item “sundried tomatoes”. can u please tell me how to prepare this ?
Simply mindblowing!!!!!!!
I am not finding words to express how excited I am to find my best eatables and my kids enjoy them a lot.
Tathastu !!!!!! keep uploading receipes like these !!!
Kindly can you please update receipe for potato papad.
Would love to know the same !!!!!!!!!111111
i saw ur papadams. i cannot under stand what is the papad khar. pls give reply to my quiery i want to do it immediately. pls give another type of papads.
I was trying to find the elusive papadkar in the US. Any ideas as to where we can find it or order it (our local Indian stores don’t carry it) … or better still, make it ?
we are planning to make plant for papad. so we need your help in making papad paist(malli). please sent ur contacts details on my mail id.
Akshay, I am not into papad making business. So sorry, can’t help you.
hve u got my request so pls reply on my email id.
pls. email me info. about new dishes for my sister….
Hi Shilpa,
I have been searching for the recipe of Poha Papad. I could not find them in the Indian stores here. Any idea how its made?
Thanks,
Sonali.
Wonderful makes my mouth water
Well done
Aayi Best Pics.
MAIYE MAST THANKS
thanks a lot
Very nice description! Returned to the old memories of my childhood & making of Udduna Happal. Still we remember savouring Guli with coconut oil & Uddin Hittu
Really good piece of information. Re-freshened our old memoirs of enjoying Guli with Tngin yenne & Uddina Hittu!
Thanka a lot.
Expect much more recipe of Karwar-Ankola-Gokarna
nice recipes
Dear Aayi,
I was trying to make Urad papad at home but after making when i deep fry it it becomes red. Whereas market purchased papad remains white as it is after frying why ??
also i find difficult to roll papads in our regular roller, do we have to use some special base and rollers.
Om.
my home made urad papad are turning red when deep fried whereas the market purchased papads are white as it is even when deep fried why ?
Hey Shilpa
Thanks a ton for the recipe…!!
Will you please add poha papad recipe as well? The one that tastes awesome with prans curry (slurppp)
Saee, I will look for it
Really good information.
Thanks
by seeing this i remembered my childhood days as we use to enjoy eating and making this process of apli and helping mother
Hello, a reader Dee had asked about sakkare happolu. I don’t see any reply. Do you have the recipe for this? Could you please let me know if you do?
Sorry, I don’t have the recipe yet
Hi papadkar is a chemical….it is a fungicide…..to prevent fungus…..
nd 250 gms salt means one cup salt…nd soda too….is der any alternative to these two chemicals nd can salt be reduced…tyia….
Could you please tell me what does papadkhar mean in English or kannada. I stay in blore and unable to find here.
Could you please tell me what is papadkhar in English or kannada or hindi. I stay in blore . People here don’t know what is papadkhar
Sorry I have no idea. Will try to find out.
I experience this…in every year during summers when my aai used to make papads….very nice post..are u maharashtrian?
can you pls send me the receipe if botta khadi. That is Ragi Modi they make muslib of it.