AAM Papad -Homemade Mango Leather

Homemade Aam papad or Mango leather is sweet snack made during summer in most households. Made using sweet, ripe mangoes these were one of our favourite snacks as kids. I remember it being dried on a woven grass mat leaving an impression of the texture on the aam papad. Apart from Sandige and sun-dried tomatoes , mango leather was something that used to be drying on the terrace of every house. The smell of the sun-dried mango leather brings back those childhood memories. Now that we don’t have sun, I dry them in the oven and they turn out quite good except the sun dried smell is missing.

It is made during summer and is stored for a year. When dried properly in sun it stays good for a long period. It is usually cut into small squares and stored in air tight containers. I roll them up along with the parchment paper and store them. Peeling them off the paper itself is so much fun. I like them thin but you can make it thicker as well and thicker ones will take more time to dry.

Ingredient

3 no – Mangoes , medium sized.

The sweeter the mangoes the better the taste of the papad.

Method

Preheat the oven to 110°C. Line a baking tray (i have used a 10″x12″ tray) with baking paper.

Peel and deseed the mangoes. Scoop the flesh into a blender.

Blend it into a smooth paste and do not use water.

Pour this into the prepared tray. Spread it evenly (3mm thick) and bake it for 1.5 hours or 2 hours till the pulp has set.

When you touch the pulp it shouldn’t stick to your fingers.

Turn the tray once in between to make sure it dehydrates evenly.

Remove and leave it out till it completely cools  down, for about 2 hours.

The edges might seem crisp when you take it out of the oven. But after couple of hours it will soften.

Please control the urge to peel it. The paper will peel off easily only when it is completely cooled.

Cut them into strips, roll them and store in an airtight bottle.

Peel and eat….