Lijjat Punjabi Masala Papad is a brand that sells masala papad, also known as masala poppadom or Indian papad, in the United Kingdom. But what is papad? It is a thin, sun-dried cracker mostly made with lentils. Its dough is prepared with peanut oil and salt and is then rolled out to superfine sheets and left in the sun to dry. Most of the time, papad is flavoured with spices like cumin, black pepper, chilli, and asafetida and it is very easily available in any Indian store. Masala papad is one of the staples present in any Indian kitchen and it is hardly absent there. This is because the ingredients of papad and the recipes of papad are flavourful and it adds a lovely texture when served, regardless of how it is cooked: may it be fried or dry roasted. More so, it can be served with a plain meal like rice and lentils, or khichdi which is also called a plain soup. It is a unique and healthy appetizer that is light and easy to make. More so, the toppings are typically a mixture of red onions, cucumber, tomatoes, and cilantro. These make it more appealing and also very easy to handle because the papad ingredients are thinly sliced of almost equal sizes. Raw mangoes, green tomatoes, or some fruit of your preference could surely add a great variety, too. Overall, both the toppings and the roasted papad can be made a couple of hours in advance. But once the topping is served on the papad, it should be served immediately. Masala Papad Ingredients: 6 mini papad 1 very finely chopped medium red onion 1 very finely chopped medium tomato with the seeds removed 1 very finely chopped raw mango 1 very finely chopped cucumber with the seeds removed 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro 2 finely chopped green chilis (optional) Juice of ½ lemon plus more to sprinkle on top while serving Salt Pepper 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp chat masala plus more to sprinkle on top while serving Preparation Aside from the papad, mix all the ingredients in a serving bowl and keep it aside for the meantime. For dry roasting, place the papad on a stovetop at medium heat and using a tong, flip it every two seconds until it’s roasted completely. Or, you could place the papad in a microwave by keeping it high for about a minute or so. However, when you do this, the papad can curl up in a weird shape when roasted in a microwave. Spoon the topping on the roasted papad. Sprinkle some more chat powder and lemon juice as per your choice. Serve and enjoy. Note: In this recipe, plain papad is used. However, other flavoured papads can be used, whichever you prefer. Both masala papad and chat masala are easily available in any Indian store and you can use either, or whichever is you want.