Mango pappad: The sun-dried sweet that’s a slice of nostalgia

The traditional ‘maangathera,’ ‘maanga pappadam’ or aam pappad is easily available in stores now as layered mango candy. But the preparation of the sweet snack in itself was an event in our families in the past, and the young and old took part in the process for the fun of it. Why not re-create an episode of nostalgia at home with kids, if in the mood for some fun monsoon activity? Here’s how you can prepare the delicious maanga pappadam.

Ingredients
5 cups of mango juice/pulp (no water)
1/2 kg sugar ( can reduce the quantity if you don’t want it too sweet)
1 tsp cardamom powder
3 tsp ghee

Preparation
In a heavy bottomed pan, mix the mango pulp with the sugar
Heat it on low flame to avoid splatter
Stir continuously for about 20 minutes, till it coats the spatula/spoon and has a thick consistency
Now add cardamom powder and mix well
Smear ghee on steel plates and pour this mixture onto them, as thin layers
Dry these plates in the sun with a muslin cloth over them, for a few days till they are dry and aren’t sticky
Once dry, cut in strips and preserve as rolls
Store in airtight containers