Dahi Papad is the authentic Rajasthani recipe. It is sour, sweet, spicy, smooth & yum. In short, it has many flavours. I mean, you have dry chillies, spices & garam masala.


Let alone garam masala contains peppery & nutty flavour. All these together make your recipe delicious as well as wanting more & more. Okay, let’s understand what this dish is all about.

What is Dahi Papad?

Dahi means curd & papad are light & thin flaky chapatis. Papad comes in different varieties & flavours. But here, we will be using special bikaneri papad. I don’t mind if you use other papad varieties.

But think about it. Normal papad lacks the traditional taste & specific aroma. Dahi papad is good with normal papad but great with bikaneri. Try it.

Curd mixture with boondi & papad, when tempered with spices & masala, gives you a tangy curry. This khatti-meethi curry is dahi papad. And it is one of the most sorted dishes in the Royal Rajasthani Cuisine.

Since you know what dahi papad is, let’s go through the list of items needed in making it. Continue reading below.

Things To Keep In Mind For Dahi Papad

There are two major processes involved to make khatta meetha dahi papad sabji. Let’s go through the item list based on the process. This way it will be much easy for you.

To Make the Batter

Making the batter is the first step. The recipe takes off from here. If you observe closely, dahi papad is kadhi papad. The reason is we have a curd base with besan, aka gram flour. With this in mind, let’s refer to the items we require for the batter.

  • Curd – We will use mildly sweet curd instead of sour. Usually, we refer it to as Punjabi dahi. However, you can also use Amul Masti dahi or regular dairy curd.
  • Gram Flour – The quantity of gram flour, aka besan, will decide the thickness of the batter. Therefore, use besan mindfully. If not, then follow the gram flour measurement given here in the recipe.
  • Masala Powders – Instead of adding our red chilli powder in the tadka, we will integrate it here. You can do it either way. Turmeric powder is a regular add-on in the curd & besan batter. It is customary to add turmeric in besan batter when making kadhi, especially Gujarati Kadhi. The same follows here. Salt is as per taste.
  • Water – As I said above, water along with besan powder defines the texture of your batter. A little more or less might ruin the batter. Therefore, add water gradually.
  • Papad – Papad is our star ingredient here, along with one more item. Henceforth, bikaneri papad is what we will be using. I got them from a regular grocery store near my home. My point is bikaneri papad are available easily. Avoid using anything else other than bikaneri.

Tempering (Tadka)

Dahi papad tadka is similar to that of the kadhi. Yes, there are no “hard to find ingredients”. Refer to the list below.

  • Ghee – Instead of cooking oil, we will use ghee, aka clarified butter. Any packaged ghee, loose dairy ghee & even cow ghee is fine. However, if available, use Jamkhambhaliya Ghee. The taste is better than everyone else. Ghee gives a smooth taste and neutralizes extra spiciness in the recipe if any. Hence, using ghee is recommended. Along with ghee, we will need cumin seeds, dry red chillies, asafoetida & coriander powder. Each one of them is already in your kitchen.
  • Garam Masala Powder – The purpose behind using garam masala powder is its vivid flavour. A step further, I would recommend using homemade Madras Curry Powder. I have already published the recipe. Click the link to refer to the ingredients. Believe me; this curry powder is an excellent substitute for garam masala powder. It’s flavourful & easy to make. Go ahead & try.
  • Boondi – Along with bikaneri papad, boondi is also our star ingredient. You will love the combination of papad & boondi in sour & sweet besan kadhi. Don’t use sweet boondi. Use the plain one.
  • Coriander – Chop some fresh coriander beforehand to garnish the dahi papad sabji. Add it as per the taste.

Making Dahi Papad in Traditional Rajasthani Style

Before you start cooking, there is some pre-preparation to do. For instance, chop fresh coriander, roast papad & gather all the spices & masala powders. Start with making the batter.

Monitor the water & gram flour quantity. Rest everything is sorted. Keep aside after preparing your batter, if available, use an electric beater to mix correctly. If not, then use a whisker. An electric beater or whisker is perfect for breaking lumps.

Start preparing your tadka by heating ghee. Add spices & masala powders as directed in the recipe steps below. When your tadka starts releasing aroma, add the batter. Mix gently & add the remaining ingredients.

Bring the mixture to boil a couple of times & your dahi papad sabji is ready. Okay, now time for some tips. Take a look below.

Tips to Make the Tastiest Dahi Papad

  • Do not soak boondi in water. It will lose its shape. Add boondi unsoaked.
  • Roast papad & stack them in an airtight container to keep them moisture-free.
  • If not, then roast papad after adding the batter to the tadka.
  • Don’t make small pieces of papad. Keep medium size.
  • Use green chilli paste in the batter if you plan to skip dry red chillies.
  • Do not skip garam masala powder. If possible, try madras curry powder.

Okay, follow the tips above, and you will make the yummiest dahi papad ki sabji. I make it at least twice a month & my family members go ga-ga over it.

So, that was it with the Dahi Papad recipe today.