How to make Paapri (Cracker)?

In India we make Paapri that resemble Tortilla chips or Fritos. You may even call some as crackers

Paapri is crispy 2" diameter wafer and normally deep fried. You can take the same dough and pass through a press forming round thin noodles, when fried are called Sev. I will discuss two methods of making Paapri. The traditional method is to deep fry Paapri. In addition, I will include my two phase method of baking.

1. Choose Base flour.

Most common flour is Maida (All purpose flour), followed by Besan (Chickpea flour). You may also use Atta (whole grain flour), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Jowar (Sorghum),  and Corn (Makki Atta).

2. Choose dry spices

Dry spices are different whether you plan to bake or deep fry

Dry spices for Deep frying

Salt: You need about ½ teaspoon of salt per cup of flour.

Baking Powder: Baking soda or Baking powder are not added.

Color: For color, Turmeric powder (¼ teaspoon per 2 cups of flour) may be added, specially to accentuate the Besan flour.

Cumin seeds: Lightly crushed or coarse seeds are added. These seeds release aroma during frying.

Ajwain: These seeds release aroma during frying.

Hing (Asafetida) powder: May be added for aroma.

Options: You may add small seeds (sesame, flax), crushed or powdered cayenne.

Dry spices for Baking

Salt: You need about ½ teaspoon of salt per cup of flour.

Baking Powder: ¾ teaspoon of Baking Powder per cup of flour is added. Baking powder does not make the Paapri Khasta. Baking Powder release the gas puffing up the Paapri.

Color: For color, Turmeric powder (¼ teaspoon per 2 cups of flour) may be added, specially to accentuate the Besan flour.

Cumin powder: Cumin seeds are not added, cumin powder is added instead

Oregano leafs: Ajwain is not added. I add oregano leaf instead giving a flavor similar to Ajwain.

Options: You may add small seeds (sesame, flax), crushed or powdered cayenne.

3. Mix dry ingredients

Mix dry ingredients together, base flour, and dry spices.

4. Select Shortening

Deep frying

The shortening must not be an oil. It must be solid as Ghee, or other vegetable shortenings. Amount of shortening determines how flaky or Khasta the Paapri is. Ideally one needs 7 teaspoons of shortening per cup of flour. Normally, it is reduced to 2 Tablespoons (or six teaspoons) per cup of flour. The shortening is cut into flour to resemble crumbles. As the crumbles cook, it gives that Khasta texture. Baking powder is not needed or added.

Baking

The basic purpose of baking is to reduce fats. The amount of shortening is reduced to 1 teaspoon per cup of flour. The baking powder is added to induce gas to make Paapri puff up, it is not same as Khasta. The shortening may be either solid as Ghee, or an oil.

5. Cut in Shortening

Cut shortening into dry mixture with fingers, till the dry mixture resembles crumbles.

5. Choose fluids

The amount of fluids depends on the type of flour chosen (Corn, Bajra, and Jowar need more fluids than Maida). Here I will limit to All Purpose flour (Maida).

Deep frying

For deep frying, you need stiffer dough. Ideally, you need 7 teaspoons of fluids per cup of flour. Normally, it is increased to 3 Tablespoons (9 teaspoons) per cup of flour, so that the dough can be rolled out easily.

Baking

I use two phase cooking in this process, it gives us longer time to remove the moisture. You need 6 Tablespoons of fluids per cup of flour. This is comparable to amount of fluids used in making dough for Roti.

6. Make dough

Pile the dry ingredients as a mound. Put a hole in the mound. add fluids little at a time and knead the dough. Gather the dough in a ball. Wrap it with plastic film or damp kitchen towel to prevent drying. Let it rest  for 15 minutes to 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the base flour to swell up absorbing fluids and spices.

7. Rolling out and cutting dough cookies

The objective is to make dough cookies about 2" diameter and the thickness of a dime (10Ç coin). This is just like making smaller Roti (Roti is about 6" diameter, and the dough cookies you want are just 2". You may use dry All purpose flour to dust the board and the rolling pin. You can use a cookie cutter to make dough cookies. Alternately, you may make a 2" diameter cardboard guide, and a sharp knife to cut out dough cookies.

Prick each cookie with a fork about two times. When cooked, you do not want the cookies to puff up like Poori. The prick holes also help with cooking process itself.

8. Cooking

You have two alternate methods of cooking.

Deep frying

1. Preheat deep fryer to 300º F.

2. Deep fry dough cookies till they start to just turn brown. Use skimmer to turn the the dough cookies and to remove them from the oil.

3. Put fried cookies on paper towel to absorb dripping oil.

Baking

I use two phase baking method. First the cookies are par-baked on hot griddle like Roti, and then baked in preheated oven.

Par Baking

1. Heat a griddle just like to make Roti or Chapati.

2. Cook dough cookies for 45 seconds. Turn over and cook again for another 45 seconds. Each side should have light brown spots.

Baking

You need Cooking oil spray

1. Pre-heat oven to 350º F.

2. Lightly spray a cookie sheet.

3. Arrange par-baked Paapri in a single layer.

4. Lightly spray the Paapri. Turn each Paapri over. Lightly spray  the par-baked Paapri.

5. Bake for five minutes.

6. Turn over the Paapri and re-bake for 5 minutes or till lightly brown.

7. Repeat till all Paapri have been baked.

9. Rest

After the Paapri have been cooked let the rest for about 10 minutes to cool and get crispier.