Air fryer Papad

Despite being lightweight, it is possible to make air fryer papad. Papad or poppadums are a crispy crunchy treat that is often served with Indian meals. 

It is mostly deep fried. Some papads can be roasted on open flame. Today, I am sharing an air fryer papad method that is super easy and quick.

You can buy papads at an Indian store near you or on Amazon as well. They come in a number of flavours ranging from spicy to mild.

Pick your favourite. Most of them are prepared from lentil flours with spices and other ingredients.

You will also love air fryer croutons, air fryer cashews, air fryer moong dal and air fryer mushroom puffs.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

1. Healthier Choice: You can easy skip frying papads and make air fryer papad. 

That way you can have your crunchy indulgence more often.

2. Quick & Easy: It is as quick as a few minutes for a papad in the air fryer. And no supervision needed either.

3. Versatile: Serve your papad plain roasted or have masala papad with toppings that is a wonderful snack.

Ingredients

Regular papads

1 tsp. oil (optional)

Variations and Substitutions

1. Different Flavors: Opt for different flavors like pepper, garlic, or jeera (cumin) based on your palate.

I also tried tapioca or sabudana papad that really turned out crunchy and nice.

2. Diet Preferences: There are various papad versions like rice, lentil, tapioca and potato with varying levels of spice to suit every palate.

3. Spray with oil: For a more fried taste and appearance, you can brush or lightly spray papads on both sides with oil.

For a crunchy roasted taste, skip the oil.

Serving Suggestions

1. Masala Papads: Masala papads or crispy papads topped with finely chopped veggies are a tasty snack that go very well with beverages of your choice.

2. As a Side: A perfect accompaniment to your meals, especially with rice dishes.

3. Snack Time: Ideal for tea time or when you're craving a light munch.

Instructions

Can you fry papad in air fryer? You absolutely can and safely with a slight tweak. Here's how:

Air Fryer Method

Start by preheating your air fryer to 360F or 180C for about 5 minutes.

Once you have preheated the air fryer, each papad will get done in 2-3 minutes depending upon the size of your papad.

In this recipe, I have used the 6" larger size moong dal papad.

Lightly brush each papad with oil (this is optional but helps in getting them super crispy). This is for a close to fried appearance and taste.

Lay the papads in a single layer, ensuring they don’t overlap. If you have the small round ones, you can place 2 at one time or else just one.

I don't place the papad on top of the air fryer basket but in the bottom cavity.

This helps prevent the papad from flying up to the heating element and getting burnt.

It also gets cooked evenly without any burning.

Place air fryer basket on top.

Air fry for about 2-3 minutes each. Start checking after 1 minute of cooking time.

They go from perfectly fried to overdone very quickly.

Carefully take them out and serve. Also remember that they will continue to crisp up after taking them out.

They are very hot to handle. Use tongs.

Your air fryer papad is ready.

I have made without brushing with oil too. Both are crispy.

This one is less golden brown and tastes like the roasted stove top version.

Stove Top Method

If you have a gas burner, then hold a papad using tongs.

On a low flame, cook it on both sides till it is perfectly roasted.

Fried Papad

For frying papads, heat oil in a pan or kadhai. When oil is medium hot, carefully place a papad inside taking care not to burn your fingers.

It takes about a minute or two to be fried. Flip and cook evenly.

Take it out of oil in a slotted spoon to remove excess oil.

Serve hot.

How to Make Masala Papad

Air fry or stove-top cook the papad as mentioned above.

Finely chop 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 or 2 green chilies as per taste, and 1 tbsp. cilantro leaves finely.

Mix them well.

Also add 1 tsp. chaat masala, salt, ½ tsp. cayenne (optional) and some lemon juice.

Add the above to the finely chopped veggies and mix well.

Lay the cooked papad on a plate. Sprinkle the chopped mixture generously.

Serve immediately to enjoy the crunch with the freshness of the toppings. Do not store as masala papad will get soggy.

Expert Tips

1. Oil Brushing: A silicone brush works best to apply a thin, even layer of oil. Or you can spray oil on the papad. You need to use very little oil but it does give a fried taste.

2. Overcrowding: Avoid putting too many papads in the air fryer at once.

They might stick together or cook unevenly.

3. Keep an Eye: Whether on the stove or in the air fryer, papads can go from perfectly crispy to burnt in seconds.

Do monitor them.

4. Avoid keeping papad on the air fryer basket: Papads are very lightweight and will fly to the heating element and get burnt.

This is not safe. Unless you are keeping some weighted mesh on top, avoid this.

Hence, I have placed the papad below the mesh in the main basket so that the papad does not fly to the heating element.

You can see the video shared.

FAQs

1. Can I store cooked papad for later?

You can but it will lose its crispness. You will need to reheat papad in the air fryer before consuming.

2. Why is my papad not crispy?

It might be undercooked so cook it some more and it will be crispy.

Here's the recipe card:

📖 Recipe Card