Try this delicious Gujarati Papdi No Lot that will transport you directly into the streets of India in the best way possible. With a slight kick and a mouthwatering texture, this traditional street food makes for an exciting snack.
If you’re South Asian, you know there are few street foods that live up to papdi. And if you’re Gujarati, you know at the top of the tier is Papdi No Lot. Also called khichu, this traditional Gujarati snack is made with really simple ingredients and has quite a kick.
I have vivid memories of waking up at 4am to help my mom make an endless supply of papdi. I think my whole summer that year revolved around Papdi No Lot because literally everyone in my family seemed to wake me up to help them, time and time again.
On the bright side, I was able to eat as much khichu as I wanted and I completely mastered the recipe, which means now I know how to make it in smaller batches – and without having to wake up at 4am.
Whether you call it khichu or papdi no lot, I promise, my pictures cannot do the flavors justice. Not to mention, that this is not your average Gujarati Papdi No Lot. This is my personal Mama Patel version!
In addition to the traditional whole spices and chilies, my mom made her papdi no lot with garlic, and it’s a total game changer. If you’ve never had it with garlic, then please, do me a favor and make it!
What is papdi no lot?
Gujarati Papdi No Lot is a staple of steamed dough that is formed into thin tortilla-like rounds and dried. The dough is filled with cumin, caraway seeds, green chilies, and salt.
Once the dough is dried out, you cook the rounds over an open flame. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a little oil and methi masala.
The way I grew up eating this classic Gujarati snack was with my mom’s signature green chutney. Unlike a regular mint chutney, my mom’s recipe was a beautiful blend of spicy and sweet with a satisfying crunch of sesame seeds.
I would always go on the hunt for this chutney whenever my mom made it. Even if other family members or friends dropped off some khichu for us, I pretty much refused to eat it unless my mom had her chutney in the house.
For me, this dish is not complete with my mom’s green chutney recipe. Even if it deviates from the “traditional” recipe, this is my true version of tradition and I’m happy to be sharing it with you today!
I find that it pairs so well with a steaming hot Papdi No Lot. It adds a touch of coolness and hints of sweetness while still being loaded with cilantro, chilies, and other rich complementary flavors.
How to Make the Best Gujarati Papdi No Lot
Although this is a fairly simple recipe, the way you cook it can seem a bit complicated, especially if you are not familiar with South Asian traditional cooking! But, have no fear. Here are my best tips and tricks to make the best papdi no lot on the first try:
Use a pot that comes with a trivet. I like to use my Our Place Perfect Pot which comes with one, but you can also use your Instant Pot. Worst case scenario, a large pot with a lid can work too!
You can steam the papdi no lot in an Instant Pot. I personally used my idli trays to steam the lot, but you can use anything made of stainless steel that will fit your cooking pot during the steaming step of the process.
This papdi no lot recipe needs something called papad kharo, which is an alkaline salt-like seasoning that you can find at any Indian grocery store. However, if you don’t have this on hand or cannot find it, fresh baking soda can be substituted, one to one. (Just be sure it is not old baking soda, as it will impact the recipe!)
Similarly, the green chilies I used in this recipe can be found at your local Indian store, but Serrano peppers work just as well too.
Use a small food processor to grind down the chilies and garlic. You want them to be extremely fine and doing this is much easier than chopping.
If you don’t have a velan (Indian rolling pin) for this papdi no lot, you can use the back of a wooden spatula.
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
