papdi no lot (steamed rice flour dough)/khichu

A tribute to my bhabhi
Sonal bhabhi, my late sister in law immediately took me under her wing from the first day I met her. Always smiling, friendly and motherly she taught and advised me whenever I needed her help. Whenever we visited Nairobi, meals were not an elaborate affair at her place. Simple but tasty dishes were prepared in no time to feed us and her family. What I learnt from her was a foolproof recipe to make the perfect papdi no lot(steamed rice flour dough). If you follow the measurements and tips given below, then papdi no lot or khichu turns out not too hard and not too soft. I have tried out this recipe with rice flour from India, Kenya , UK and the end result is the same. Of course feel free to vary the amount of green chillis you use.
What is papdi no lot or khichu?
Papdi no lot or khichu is a very popular Gujarati snack, more so in some communities than others. It is prepared on a regular basis in most Patel homes. Prepare it for brunch, light lunch, for guests at teatime or dinner,most Gujaratis love it. Usually papdi no lot is steamed to make papdi or rice crackers/papad. Papdi is rolled out into a thin circle of 5-6 inches in diameter. It is then dried in the sun and stored. The dry papdi or rice cracker is then roasted over open fire, charcoal one being the most ideal or its fried. Papdi is usually served with khichdi.
Whenever families made papdi from papdi no lot, it was like a whole day affair as it was made in huge quantities during summer. Papdis can be stored throughout the year. Part of the papdi making ritual was also to enjoy hot steaming papdi no lot.
How is papdi no lot or khichu made?
Requirements for perfect papdi no lot or khichu
How to serve papdi no lot or khichu
Some of my favourite Gujarati Snacks
Dietary guideline



PAPDI NO LOT (STEAMED RICE FLOUR DOUGH) / KHICHU
Makes 10 – 12 small pieces
2 cups rice flour
4 – 4½ cups water
2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp sesame seeds (tal)
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain,ajmo)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp green chilli paste
12 peppercorns
½ inch cinnamon stick
6 -8 cloves
4 tsp oil
½ tsp soda bicarbonate
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
- Crush the peppercorns lightly. Do not make it into a powder.
- Cut the cloves into 2 with a sharp knife.
- Cut the cinnamon into smaller pieces.
- Sieve the flour. Add the peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and hing.
- Put the water to boil in a saucepan. When it begins to boil, add the cumin, carom and sesame seeds. Let it boil till the water becomes a pale yellowy green colour.
- Add the salt, oil, chilli and the soda bicarbonate and immediately add the flour.
- Stir using a wooden spoon till all the flour and water is mixed. It may appear lumpy but thats fine.
- Take it off the heat and let the dough cool down enough so that you can handle it.
- Take the dough out of the pan into a wide vessel like a large tray or plate. Smear your hands with some oil and knead the dough with the palm of your hand till its quite smooth.
- Divide the dough into 10-12 pieces, depending on the size you want. Keep on greasing the palm if the dough sticks. Roll out the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly. Make a hole in the middle with your finger. It should look like a doughnut.
- Put water in a steamer over medium heat. Let the water boil.
- When the water is hot place the dough on the steamer tray. Cover with a cotton cloth. Cover the pan with a lid.
- Steam the dough for 30 minutes on medium heat. If your steamer is small, steam the dough in small batches.
- Serve piping hot with oil and garlic chutney, ready pickle masala or red chilli powder.
- Can make ahead and leave it. Just warm it up in the steamer before serving.
- I find covering the dough while steaming with a big white hankerchief the most convenient as in other cloths the colour may run. The idea of covering with a cloth is so that the water dripping from the side of the lid does not make the dough too soft.
- Make sure the water in the steamer is not touching the steamer tray or plate. Usually filling it quarter of the way is fine.
- Can try using the chinese steamer. I am sure it will work.
- You can freeze them without steaming. Steam when required.
- Amount of water required will depend on the type of rice flour, some absorb more, some less. I prefer to use initially use only 4 cups and then add more if required once you have added the flour to the water.
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63 Comments
Unknown
April 26, 2013 at 6:46 am
Hi Mayuri, I love your blog, have bookmarked a few recipes to try, thank you for sharing them.
I made your khichi this morning. It was really delicious! I had problems with the balls keeping their shape, however. Upon steaming, they melted into each other. Not a big problem, as I just cut them into squares when they cooled and they were yummy.
The dough was quite soft when I was kneading it – should I have added more rice flour? Also, I shaped the dough while it was still warm – should I have waited for it to cool completely?
Mayuri's jikoni
April 26, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Hi,I am glad you love my blog, thank you so much. As for the khichi, you probably had a bit too much water left in the dough.Next time try using 4 cups. Before you roll the balls, if you find the dough too hard you can always add a bit more water.The amount of water required depends so much on the type of rice used to make the flour. Some absorb more water then the others.Because the dough was soft, the balls merged when steamed. Even adding too much soda bicarbonate can result in the balls not maintaining their shape on steaming. But in your case its definitely more water. You could have added a bit more flour.
alpa
September 18, 2013 at 3:05 pm
Hi Mayuri,
I LOVE your blog!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to record so many Gujju dishes. I think sometimes people feel that everyday food is not special, but I get scared sometimes that they will be long forgotten! It's this huge phobia of mine LOL. Growing up and even now, I try to memorize all my mother's dishes.
I also love the way you cook and make special items for your friends and family too. Living in the US all my life, it is so interesting when you talk about your everyday life in Mombasa! I love your writing! Keep going 🙂
Hugs,
Alpa
Anonymous
November 1, 2013 at 3:22 am
Wonderful recipe…I'm going to try this one over the weekend. Can you tell me why it's essential to cover the steaming dough balls covered with a cloth?
Pari Vasisht
July 10, 2014 at 3:59 am
That's such a healthy preparation. Thanks for linking it to ONLY gluten free.
Nisa@flavour Diary
August 5, 2016 at 2:25 pm
Snack is easy n simple to make…loving it
Unknown
March 22, 2017 at 12:04 am
Love this!
Do you know how many carbs would be in one piece?
Mayuri Patel
March 22, 2017 at 9:05 pm
According to fitness pal 1 serving or 1 cup of papdi no lot has 360 calories and about 80g carbs.
Jayaprakash B Vyas
June 19, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Hello Mayuri
Thanks for nice recipes — papdi no lot- is then one I will try with help from wife as she has her own way of doing things.
Yes Mombasa is the place as I was born there and my parents, brothers and sisters lived there.May be your family will know the Vyas family living near the stadium
One more food item
Mambari and bharaji that is one of Mombasa special dish
If know please provide for our Guju friends
We make it here in USA for friends that don’t know this dish
Take Care and keep on cooking
Jay
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2023 at 3:41 pm
Thank you so much for following my blog. I hope you will try out the papdi no lot.. it turns out good. It is a recipe I learned from my late bhabhi. We know late Sudhir Vyas and late Anil Vyas. They both though not related to us as such always treated my mother in law as their sister. Still in touch with both the families as they are family for us.Are you related to them?
Dhruov .S.B
April 18, 2017 at 8:41 am
Hello Mayuriji!
Please advise if glutenous rice flour can be used for this recipe? Thank you.
Mayuri Patel
April 18, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Hello Dhruov, glutenous rice flour tends to be sticky therefore papdi no lot may turn out sticky. I would not recommend using that rice. Use normal rice or basmati rice flour or any non sticky rice flour.
vandanahr2gmailcom
October 17, 2019 at 8:06 pm
This recipe is so good and unique. Your blog has made me realise how rich is Gujarati cuisine. I am really excited to try more of your recipes. The garlic chutney also looks mouth watering.
mayurisjikoni
October 20, 2019 at 8:19 pm
Thanks Vandana, Gujarati cuisine is so well known for its snacks.
Renu Agrawal Dongre
October 20, 2019 at 1:01 am
I remember eating this in Surat for breakfast with some butter. It was so tasty and yum. I am loving your recipe, the pics are so tempting and it looks so soft and perfectly done. I am definetly trying this.
mayurisjikoni
October 20, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Thanks Renu, I’ll have to try it with butter.
geetha priyanka
October 20, 2019 at 8:00 pm
At first glance of the image I thought it’s a kind of Gujarati version vada!! This recipe sounds like a perfect snack to enjoy, how perfectly you’ve shaped the dough. Lovely share…
mayurisjikoni
October 20, 2019 at 8:10 pm
Thank you so much Geetha.
simplysensationalfood
October 21, 2019 at 2:21 pm
I love khichi but always struggle to get that nice green colour. I will try your recipe as I was under the impression that it was chillies that gave the green colour.
mayurisjikoni
October 21, 2019 at 4:05 pm
Nayna, its the cumin and ajwain that gives it that colour. Hope you like my recipe.
Pavani
October 21, 2019 at 10:44 pm
Lovely post Mayuri. Papdi no lot is totally new to me but reading your post – I want to try this snack for my family some time soon. Gujaratis sure have so many interesting and delicious snacks.
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2019 at 6:05 pm
Thank you so much Pavani and you’re right Gujaratis have so many snack recipes. Hope you love this dish. I know some of my non gujarati friends love it.
Rafeeda – The Big Sweet Tooth
October 22, 2019 at 7:51 am
Recipes that are learnt from a near one is always special, isn’t it? May the Almighty bless your bhaabi’s soul… The papdi no lot sounds super interesting. Steamed dishes are always much healthier, and all the spices going into it makes it a very delicious offering…
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2019 at 6:03 pm
Thank you so much Rafeeda, this recipe is so dear to me as I learnt from my bhabhi. Her memories will live on through this recipe.
Malini
October 22, 2019 at 8:46 am
This is such a unique recipe, I am hearing about it for the first time. This is one of the best things when we connect with different food bloggers. We get to know their authentic recipes. Very well explained, loved the tips part. Bookmarking it!
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Thank you so much Malini. Please do try the recipe.
Anshika Juneja
October 22, 2019 at 10:04 am
This is absolutely a new recipe for me. I love how you have given step by step pictures of this recipe. I am definitely going to make this for my family. I’m sure they are going to enjoy.
Lata Lala
October 22, 2019 at 8:58 pm
Papdi no lot has been my all time favourite as I am born and raised in Gujarat. And the special mention of your Bhabhi in this recipe makes it even more special. These recipes are such a treasure.
Lovely share
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Thank you so much Lata.
FoodTrails
October 22, 2019 at 7:33 pm
When I looked at the pictures I thought it something like Makkai Dokla, Rajasthani dish, but after reading your post, this is altogether a new dish form me.Very interesting and looks delicious to try!!.
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:33 pm
Thanks Swaty, it is so delicious and easy to make.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
October 22, 2019 at 8:08 pm
What an authentic recipe this is! So happy to be able to learn the regional delights. We make something similar in South called the Nombu Adai. It is made for sathyavan Savithri Vrat and it is something similar. We make the sweet and savory version of it. I will be trying this version soon.
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:32 pm
Thanks Sandhya and glad to learn about a new dish from you.
Sandhya
October 23, 2019 at 6:08 am
Absolutely mouthwatering dish Mayuri. I like the spice combination of tal, jeera and ajwain with the green chilies.And what a beautiful tribute to your sis-in-law!
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Thank you so much Sandhya.
Seema Doraiswamy Sriram
October 23, 2019 at 10:18 am
Lovely steamed snack here mayuri. I will love to try this soon. Do you reckon i can freeze them as well?
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Thanks Seema, yes what you do is when you shape them, freeze them. When you want to serve them, take it out of the freezer, defrost in the micro and then steam it for 25-30 minutes. That’s what my family in UK does.
amrita
October 23, 2019 at 12:18 pm
This is an interesting snack and the best part is it is steamed…You have nicely explained the process and from where the mild colour came from nd how to serve…love it totally
mayurisjikoni
October 23, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Thank you so much Amrita.
Padma Veeranki
October 24, 2019 at 10:32 am
Love this donut shaped snack…Papdi no lot is completely new to me….I would love to try this snack…the best part is that it is steamed, which makes it a healthy snacking option!!
mayurisjikoni
October 25, 2019 at 4:45 pm
Thanks Padma, it a famous Gujarati snack.
Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey
October 26, 2019 at 10:56 am
This khichu is a favourite in our house. When I was younger, back in my parents house I used to make when mum goes out and I got hungry, as a snack
mayurisjikoni
October 28, 2019 at 2:41 pm
Thanks Jagruti, its our favorite too.
Priya Srinivasan
October 29, 2019 at 5:39 pm
these khichus look pretty tempting mayuriji, i have made poha khichu sometimes back, love the simplicity of the recipe and the punching flavors!!! Love how you have served them, with a sprinkle of masala on top 🙂
mayurisjikoni
October 30, 2019 at 4:27 pm
Thank you so much Priya. Is your poha khichu recipe on your blog?
Seema Doraiswamy Sriram
November 9, 2019 at 12:42 pm
such a lovely recipe. I always look for steamed snack recipes. so glad to see this. Can I use roasted rice flour?
mayurisjikoni
November 11, 2019 at 4:00 pm
Thanks Seema, never tried it with roasted rice flour as I feel it may not hold together. However, you could try out a small portion.
sasmita
November 10, 2019 at 8:19 pm
WOW !! such a new dish for me. Looks so very interesting and I wouldn’t mind to try this delicious dish sometime, so easy it seems 🙂
mayurisjikoni
November 11, 2019 at 3:53 pm
Thanks Sasmita, please try it.
themadscientistskitchen
March 30, 2020 at 9:38 am
I want to make this authentic Pepsi no lot. Sounds delicious and I have the rice flour too. Will try for breakfast tomorrow.
mayurisjikoni
March 30, 2020 at 8:59 pm
Thanks Archana, papdi no lot is a famous snack especially with the Patel community. Hope you like it.
hem lata srivastava
April 8, 2020 at 3:29 pm
Such a healthy preparation, very well explained. Looks so tempting
mayurisjikoni
April 11, 2020 at 8:44 pm
Thank you so much Hema Lata.
Superduperkitchen -Niranjana Sankaranarayanan
April 9, 2020 at 7:35 pm
This one reminds me of mor koozh we make at home. This is quite different from that. Would love to try it out.
mayurisjikoni
April 11, 2020 at 8:43 pm
Niranjana, next time when I’m in Bangalore we have to have a home party. I would love you to taste this dish.
Superduperkitchen -Niranjana Sankaranarayanan
April 12, 2020 at 8:09 am
Sure Mayuriji…would love to make it for you😊
Jolly
April 10, 2020 at 10:17 pm
Recipes that are learnt from our near ones are always special. May the Almighty bless your bhabhi soul. The name of the dish papdi no lot sounds really interesting, by name I thought it’s papdi and by seeing it looks like vada. The way of making is totally different. Steamed dishes are always much healthier. Love this healthy and interesting share!
mayurisjikoni
April 11, 2020 at 8:37 pm
Thank you so much Jolly, its a very famous snack among the Patel community. Will make it for you when I come to Bangalore again.
Preethicuisine
April 11, 2020 at 12:16 pm
Absolutely new recipe for me.Tempted to this recipe now.Loved the detailed explanation.
mayurisjikoni
April 11, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Thanks Preethi, and its a very common dish for Patels.
accomodating employee
June 21, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Hi! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I
really enjoy reading your posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics?
Thanks a lot!
great recipe
March 20, 2021 at 1:10 pm
Dear Mayuri, just wanted to say this is an amazing recipe and ever since I have been a child it has been my favourite food although couldn’t find a recipe that would help me make it by myself. I am so glad I found your page it has helped me lots and I know how to make it at home for myself.
Please keep up the great recipes I think it really helps as could never find much written down in detail that helps make amazing Gujarati food.
kaushika patel
mayurisjikoni
March 20, 2021 at 6:26 pm
Thank you so much Kaushika Patel, I am so happy that you love my recipes. That is why the blog is there, to help people learn new and traditional recipes. Once again thank you so much for trying out the recipe.