5 Bikaneri Dishes You Can Make with Papad (Beyond Roasted Papad)

You can do a lot more with bikaneri papad than just roast it and eat it on the side. In Bikaner homes, papad goes into curries, becomes chaat, and adds crunch to dal and khichdi. Here are five home-style dishes you can make with it, starting with the ingredients most Indian kitchens already have.

1. Papad Ki Sabzi — The Classic Rajasthani Curry

If you grew up in Rajasthan, you already know this one. Papad ki sabzi is the curry Bikaner families make when the sabzi box is nearly empty and nobody wants to step out for vegetables. It is quick, filling, and full of flavour.

The base is a simple thin gravy. Heat mustard oil or ghee, add cumin seeds, a pinch of hing, and chopped onion. Once the onion turns golden, add ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes. Cook till the oil separates. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt. Some families skip onion-tomato and use a curd-based gravy instead — both work.

Now the important part: add the papad at the very end. Break two or three roasted papads into large pieces and stir them in just a minute or two before serving. They soak up a little gravy and turn slightly chewy-crisp. If you add them early, they go soggy and fall apart.

Which papad should you use? A plain moong dal papad works best here — it holds its shape and takes on the gravy's flavour. Handmade Bikaneri Papad is the natural pick for this dish.

Serve hot with roti. That is it. Dinner sorted in twenty minutes.

2. Papad Churi — The Instant Crunch Salad

Papad churi is what you make when guests drop in unannounced and the tea is already on. Roast a papad, crush it into bite-sized pieces, and toss it in a bowl with finely chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, and fresh coriander. Sprinkle chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon on top.

Serve it immediately. The papad pieces stay crisp for maybe ten minutes once the onion and tomato juices touch them, so this is a mix-and-serve dish, not a make-ahead one.

Short on time? BiteBasket sells ready-made Papad Churi — roasted, crushed, and seasoned, so you just open the pack and serve. It works as a tea-time snack on its own, too. This is the easiest way to enjoy the papad-churi idea without any prep at all.

3. Masala Papad — The Restaurant-Style Starter

Every Indian restaurant serves masala papad, and there is a reason it never leaves the menu. It takes five minutes and looks impressive on the table.

Roast a large papad — urad or moong, whichever you have. Spread a thin layer of finely chopped onion, tomato, and coriander over it. Add chopped green chilli if you like heat. Sprinkle salt, chaat masala, and a little roasted cumin powder. A few drops of lemon juice finish it.

The rule for masala papad: assemble and serve instantly. The tomato and onion release water within minutes, and a soggy papad is nobody's idea of a starter. Make them one at a time if you are serving a crowd.

For a garlicky twist, try this with Chandra Vilas Moong Garlic Papad — the garlic flavour in the papad itself means you need fewer toppings.

4. Papad Crunch Topping for Dal, Khichdi and Kadhi

This is the simplest idea on the list, and honestly the one Bikaner families use most often. Roast a papad, crush it roughly with your hands, and sprinkle it over hot dal, khichdi, or kadhi just before serving.

It does what croutons do for soup. Plain dal-fry becomes interesting. Khichdi gets texture. Kadhi — which is already tangy and smooth — gets a salty crunch that breaks it up nicely.

Urad dal papad works especially well here because of its stronger, earthier flavour. Bishanlal Babulal Papad is a solid choice for this job. Keep a small jar of crushed roasted papad on your dining table the way some families keep a pickle jar — it disappears fast, especially with kids who love the crunch.

5. Papad Cone Chaat — Party Snacks in Minutes

This one is for when you want to serve something fun without spending an hour in the kitchen. Fry a papad in hot oil — it puffs up in seconds. While it is still hot and flexible, roll it into a cone shape and hold it for a few seconds till it sets. Work quickly; once it cools, it turns brittle.

Fill each cone with a mix of Bikaneri bhujia, chopped onion, boiled potato cubes, and a spoon of imli or mint chutney. Top with sev and a pinch of chaat masala. Serve on a platter and watch them vanish.

For this recipe, frying works better than roasting — a fried papad is pliable enough to shape while hot. Moong Dal Papad from Girdharilal puffs up beautifully in hot oil.

A Quick Note on Roasting Bikaneri Papad

No open flame at home? You can still roast papad well. Hold it over a gas flame with tongs, flipping constantly, or roast it on a hot dry tawa — press it down gently with a cloth or spatula so it cooks evenly. A microwave works too: 30 to 45 seconds on high, though the texture is slightly different. Avoid the oven — it dries papad out unevenly.

Taste It for Yourself

All five recipes start with one thing: a good papad. BiteBasket ships handmade papads from Bikaner, pan-India — made the traditional way, by hand, the way Bikaner has done it for generations.

• Handmade Bikaneri Papad — the all-rounder for sabzi, churi, and everyday roasting
• Moong Dal Papad from Girdharilal — great for frying into chaat cones
• Ready-made Papad Churi — zero-prep tea-time snack

Not sure which type of papad to buy first? Read our comparison: Urad Papad vs Moong Papad vs Punjabi Papad — Which One to Buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which papad is best for papad ki sabzi?

A plain moong dal papad. It holds its shape in the gravy and absorbs flavour without falling apart. Add it at the very end of cooking so it stays slightly crisp.

Should I roast or fry papad for cooking?

Roast for papad ki sabzi, churi, masala papad, and toppings — roasting keeps it light. Fry only when you need the papad soft and pliable, like shaping cones for chaat.

How do I roast papad without an open flame?

Use a hot dry tawa, pressing the papad down gently so it cooks evenly. A microwave (30–45 seconds on high) also works in a pinch.

Does BiteBasket sell ready-made papad churi?

Yes — ready-made Papad Churi comes roasted, crushed, and seasoned. Just open and serve. It is a good option for office tiffin boxes and travel as well, since it needs no preparation.

How long do handmade papads keep?

Stored in an airtight container away from moisture, handmade papads stay good for several months. If they soften, a quick roast on a tawa brings the crunch back.

In Bikaner, papad was never just a side dish — it was the backup plan, the instant snack, and the crunch that finished a meal. Try these five dishes, and you will start reaching for the papad packet a lot more often.