Aalu Sabudana Papad

I never miss the opportunity to make pickles and papads during the summer months, when there is plenty of daylight and hot and dry weather. This year, I started with making Sabudana and Aalu papads. As the name reveals, these papads are made with Sabudana (Sago) and Aalu (Potatoes).

For those new to Indian cuisine, Papads are crisps typically made from cereals and lentils, served with the main course. They add a crunchy element to the dish, thereby giving a new dimension to each morsel of food. There are many recipes for papads, and these vary from region to region.

Papads are also commonly available in supermarkets. Traditionally, these are made by women of the household during the summer months and involve group work and coordination, along with a whole lot of fun conversations.

Today’s recipe, Sabudana and Aalu Papad, is the easiest of all papad recipes, as it doesn’t require much planning or effort. All you need to do is check the weather and find a day when you get enough sun (at least 10 hours of daylight), no rain, and, ideally, a temperature above 30 degrees C. If these conditions are met, the day is ideal for making papads.

Papads Drying on my terrace on a hot sunny day

I live in Germany, and luckily, there was one such day in July, so I made a batch of papads.

The two main ingredients in today’s recipe, Sabudana and Aalu Papad, are Sabudana (Sago) and Aalu (Potatoes). Any variety of sago will do. I used medium-sized ones, which are easily available in Indian shops. Waxy potatoes are ideal for this recipe. These are called festkochende Kartoffeln and are commonly available in supermarkets in Germany. For more information about potatoes, you can read my article. Other ingredients used in this recipe are salt and basic everyday Indian spices like red chilli flakes and cumin seeds.

Apart from taking care of the weather conditions, you must also stick to the ratios of ingredients and cooking time mentioned in the recipe. You will surely make these delicious papads if you care for these few things.

To make Aalu and Sabudana Papads, you need a thick-bottomed saucepan and a spatula. I used the medium-sized cooking pot from this set. You also need a clean plastic sheet to spread out in the sun. You can also use a silicon sheet like this one. Of course, you will need basic kitchen equipment like knives, a grater, a potato peeler, etc. You can check out all the equipment I use in my kitchen in my article: Setting up my Indian Kitchen in Germany.

Now, let’s start with the recipe.

At the end of the recipe, I have shared information about ingredient sourcing in Germany.

Ingredients for Sabudana Aalu Papad:

250 gm Sago
200 gm Waxy Potatoes; peeled and grated
2 lt Water
1½ tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Red Chilli Flakes

Method to make Sabudana Aalu Papad:

Combine sago, grated potatoes and water in a saucepan.
Add salt, cumin seeds and red chilli flakes.
Cook on high heat for 25 minutes, continuously mixing with a spatula. After 25 minutes, the mixture will thicken and starch from the sago will start forming a thin layer along the edge of the pan.
Remove from heat and let it cool and become warm.
Ladle out portions of this mixture and spread it evenly on a silicon/plastic sheet under the sun.
Sundry till the papads lose their moisture and nothing sticks to your fingers when you touch their surface. Then peel them from the sheet and invert them.
Let them dry till they become brittle. Then collect them.
Store in an airtight container till further use.
When you want to consume them, take out a few, as per your requirement, and deep fry them in medium-hot oil.
Crispy and delicious Sabudana and Aalu Papad are ready.

Some additional notes about the recipe:

Choose a day when it is hot (ideally above 30 deg C) and there are no expected showers. In Germany, July, August, and September offer many such days.
After you invert the papads, they will not stick to the sheet, so they may fly if it is a windy day. So, choose a day when the winds are low, or cover them with a light cloth and keep some weights on the sides to secure everything in place.
You can make a big batch of these papads. As long as you store them properly (in a clean, dry and airtight jar/container), they will easily last a year.

Some notes about Ingredient sourcing in Germany:

Sago: Called Sabudana. Easily available in Indian and Asian shops.
Starchy Potatoes: Called festkochende Kartoffeln. Available in all supermarkets in Germany. To learn more about potato varieties in Germany, read my article.
Salt: Called Salz in German. Available in supermarkets. To learn more about salt varieties available in German Supermarkets, read my article.
Cumin Seeds: Called Kreuzkummel in German. Available in German supermarkets. Available in Indian shops at better prices.
Red Chilli Flakes: Called rote Chiliflocken in German. Available in supermarkets. Alternatively, if you have dry red chillies at home, pulse them in a mixer to make chilli flakes at home.

Here is the recipe in printable format: