Papadum (Papad)
Papad or papadum is a thin, crispy wafer, usually made from black gram flour.1,2,3 It is briefly fried or roasted over an open flame.1,4
Also known as Papad, Pappadam
Papadum, called papad in India and also appalam in South India, is a thin, crispy wafer made from a dough of pulses, usually black gram.1,2,4,5 The dough is rolled thin and round, seasoned, for example with cumin or black pepper, and dried, traditionally in the sun.1,3,4,6 Before eating, it is briefly fried or roasted over an open flame, and today also heated in a microwave.1,4 Papad accompanies a meal or is served as a starter or snack; there are many regional and family recipes.1
What's the difference between papad and papadum?
There is none: papad, papadum and poppadom are names for the same thin, crispy wafer. In South India it is also called appalam.1,4,5
What is papadum made of?
Mostly flour from black gram, known in India as urad. Other versions use flour from chickpeas, rice, lentils or potato.1,2,3
Related products in our shop
LijjatLijjat Lentil Wafer with Black Pepper (Papad)€2.99 · 200 g · €14.95 per kg
LijjatLijjat Lentil Wafer with Cumin (Jeera Papad)€2.99 · 200 g · €14.95 per kg
LijjatLijjat Lentil Wafer with Green Chilli (Green Chilli Papad)€2.99 · 200 g · €14.95 per kg
LijjatLijjat Lentil Wafer with Spice Blend (Masala Papad)€2.99 · 200 g · €14.95 per kg
KingsKings Uncooked Fryums (Far Far)€1.99 · 100 g · €19.90 per kg
AnnamAnnam Uncooked Puri Shells (Pani Puri Vathal)€3.99 · 200 g · €19.95 per kg
All prices incl. VAT, plus €4.90 shipping, free for orders from €49.00.
Sources
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). (n.d.). Pappadums and the Path to Empowerment. IP Advantage. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). (n.d.). Vigna mungo (PHSMU). EPPO Global Database. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Indian Culture: Lijjat Jeera Papad: ingredients on the pack.
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. (n.d.). Preparation of papad. TNAU Agritech Portal: Post Harvest Technology. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). poppadom. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Indian Culture: Lijjat Black Pepper Papad: ingredients on the pack.
Cite this entry
MLA
“Papadum (Papad).” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/papadum.
Chicago
Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Papadum (Papad),” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/papadum.
APA
Indian Culture. (n.d.). Papadum (Papad). In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/papadum