Soan papdi is a traditional Indian sweet known for its light, flaky, and melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Made primarily from gram flour (besan), all-purpose flour (maida), sugar, and ghee, it is prepared by skillfully layering and stretching the dough to create fine, delicate threads.
Often flavored with cardamom and topped with slivers of dry fruits like almonds and pistachios, soan papdi offers a perfect balance of sweetness and richness.
The end result is a golden, brittle treat that crumbles softly, leaving a delightful, lingering sweetness.
Preparation
To prepare soan papdi, 3 tsp of ghee (clarified butter), 2 tbsp of gram flour (besan) and 200 grams of all-purpose flour (maida).
Cook maida besan mixer with ghee
To make soan papdi, start by heating 2 tsp of ghee in a pan. Add 200 grams of all-purpose flour (maida) and 2 tbsp of gram flour (besan).
Stir well, then add another 1 tsp of ghee and mix until evenly incorporated. Continue cooking the mixture on low flame, stirring constantly, until a sweet, nutty aroma develops.
This step is crucial as it enhances the flavor, so ensure the mixture is cooked through without leaving any part uncooked.
Once the aroma is released, the flour is well roasted, forming the base for a delicious soan papdi.
Take other vessel and grind in it.
Make sugar syrup
For the sugar syrup in soan papdi, take 200 grams of sugar (around 1 cup) in a pan and add 1/3 cup of water, just enough to moisten the sugar.
Add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice to prevent crystallization, then bring it to a boil over low flame.
Let it simmer gently, which can take about 20-25 minutes.
Keep an eye on the color change; the syrup is ready when it turns a light reddish shade, which gives the soan papdi its perfect texture and slight caramel flavor.
Make soan papdi threads
To create the flaky threads for soan papdi, use a stainless steel non-stick vessel and pour the prepared sugar syrup into it.
The syrup will be extremely hot initially, so use a spoon to stir and shake it until it cools slightly.
As it cools, it will start forming a dough-like consistency. Once it’s manageable but still warm, grease your hands with ghee, then begin rolling and stretching the dough carefully to form the fine threads typical of soan papdi.
The dough should have a slightly golden hue, indicating it’s ready to be shaped into delicate layers.
Spread flour mixer on syrup & make threads
To form the classic flaky texture of soan papdi, shape the sugar syrup dough into a round and place it in the cooked maida-besan mixture.
Gently press and stretch the dough, folding it over itself to double the threads each time.
With each fold, the layers multiply, creating finer threads. Continue this process until the layers become so delicate and intertwined that they’re almost unbreakable, giving the soan papdi its signature light and airy texture.
Give a shape
To add a touch of richness to your soan papdi, sprinkle chopped dry fruits, like almonds and pistachios, at the bottom of the shaping container.
Then press the prepared layered dough into the container, allowing the dry fruits to embed into the top surface once the soan papdi is inverted.
After shaping, let it cool completely. The result is a beautifully layered, golden-hued soan papdi with a delightful crunch from the dry fruits on top—ready to enjoy!
Ingredients for Soan Papdi:
3 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
200 gm all-purpose flour (maida)
200 gm sugar
1/2 cup water