The Nibble
April 2007
By Karen Hochman
Baji’s Papadums: Indian-Style Bite-Size Snacks
Baji’s snack papadums are a delightfully different snack chip.
If you like a spicy tortilla chip, try the Pacific Rim version.
The flavor profile is more elegant, but they go just as well
with a beer, and even better with soups, salads, sandwiches
and burgers. The products are all natural, with no artificial
colors, flavors or preservatives.
If you’ve dined at an Indian restaurant, you’ve no doubt enjoyed
papadums*; the thin South Asian wafer or flatbread, shaped
into a tortilla-like round, is generally offered to customers
instead of a bread basket at the beginning of the meal. Typically
made from lentil, chickpea, black gram or rice flour. Papadums
are typically served as an accompaniment to a meal, an appetizer
or a snack and eaten topped with chutney or other dips. While
restaurant-goers may only know the tortilla-size papadum,
they are also made in a snack chip size.
It is the latter that Baji’s uses as a point of departure
in a line of flavored chips. Paul Jaggi, who called his mother
“Baji,” has created a line of foods in her honor. Baji cooked
for a family of 12; a portion of sales is donated to charities
that focus on the education and nutrition of underprivileged
children in Third World countries.
In India, the papadum is often associated with the empowerment
of women: microbusinesses run by women produce papadums, pickles
and other snacks that provide vital, regular income with minimal
financial investments.
To make these wavy whips, Baji’s uses a blend of potato starch,
fava bean flour, dehydrated potatoes, palm oil, tapioca starch,
isolated pea protein and salt. There’s a complex mix of seasoning
in each flavor. The flavors range from mild to medium spicy.
• Mango Chutney delivers sweet mango and hot spice. It’s the
hottest of the three and the sweet-salty-hot profile makes
it the most unusual.
• Tangy Cilantro, the mildest, reminds us most of a classic
papadum with a nice tang.
• Traditional Tandoori offers the wonderful flavors of India
and a nice amount of lingering heat on the finish. It you’re
hankering for Indian food, this is a nice substitute.
• We didn’t taste Creamy Yogurt Dill, but would bet it’s as
good as the rest of the line—and on the mild side.
Snack-size papadums also make a good “side” with soups, salads
and sandwiches.
It’s easy to eat these chips by the handful from the bag,
and they go great with beer. They also add spice to regular
meals, and can be served:
• With a variety of dips—from yogurt and chutney to spinach
and other vegetable-based dips
• With plain yogurt and cottage cheese
• With soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers
If you like salty snacks, spicy snacks and flavorful snacks,
try Baji’s. You may never have had Indian food—you may not
even like Indian food. But after your second handful of these
chips, you may be hooked.
Creamy Yogurt Dill, Mango Chutney, Tangy Cilantro, Traditional
Tandoori, 4-Ounce Bag Suggested Retail Price $2.99; 12-Bag
Case Individual Flavors Or Variety Pack $35.99
Purchase cases online at
BajisPassion.com.
Try a Variety Pack: three bags each of all four flavors.
The products are available at fine food stores nationwide.
Prices and flavor availability are verified at publication
but are subject to change.
*Alternatively spelled pappadum, papadam, pappadam, appadum,
pappad and a variety of other ways.
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