Aam papad, called amba poli in Marathi, is mango leather made by cooking ripe Alphonso pulp with a little sugar, spreading it thin and drying it. Sun drying takes one to two days, and an oven works too. This recipe needs only five simple ingredients.
For what is available now, see Alphonso mango pulp and mango products.
Amba poli, aam papad: the names and meaning
Amba poli is the Marathi name for mango leather. Hindi speakers say aam papad or aam ka papad, and English menus say mango leather or mango fruit roll. All of them describe the same thing: mango pulp spread thin and dried until it turns chewy, sweet and a little tangy.
It is a way of keeping the flavour of a short mango season on the shelf. Many Indian homes make it when pulp is plentiful, and it works well as a lunchbox sweet, a travel snack or a small gift. This page gives a tested home method that needs a stove, a tray and either sunlight or an oven.
Which mango to use for aam papad
Use fully ripe, sweet, low-fibre mangoes. Alphonso pulp is described as rich, creamy and non-fibrous, which gives a smooth sheet that peels cleanly. Fibre shows up as strings in the leather, so a fibrous mango needs to be strained.
Alphonso from Ratnagiri and Devgad is the classic choice for amba poli. See the authentic Devgad Alphonso and Ratnagiri Hapus pages; Alphonso starts from Rs 1,849 per dozen. Kesar also works if you prefer a milder, orange-toned leather.
The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027, and fresh Alphonso is harvested from about February to June. Outside the season, use tinned pulp. Our canned Alphonso pulp comes in 850 g and 3.1 kg sizes from Rs 590 and is available all year. We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. Alphonso from this belt is GI-tagged (GI No. 139), and we hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139).
Aam papad ingredients
Prep takes about 5 minutes, cooking 6 to 8 minutes, and drying one to two days.
- 2 cups ripe Alphonso mango pulp (from approximately 4 to 5 medium Alphonso mangoes, or tinned pulp)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar (reduce or skip if the mangoes are very sweet)
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black salt (kala namak), optional, for the classic tangy edge
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ghee or neutral oil, for greasing the tray
Very ripe Alphonso is sweet enough that you can use less sugar than the usual amount, so taste the pulp before you add any.
Aam papad recipe, step by step
- Prepare the pulp. Peel and deseed the mangoes. Blend the flesh to a smooth, lump-free puree. If you use tinned pulp, skip this step. Strain through a fine sieve for a silkier result.
- Cook the mixture. Pour the pulp into a heavy-bottomed pan and add the sugar. Cook on medium flame, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes. The mixture will thicken and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Add the cardamom, black salt and lemon juice, stir for one more minute, then remove from the heat.
- Spread on the tray. Grease a baking tray, a large thali or a flat plate lightly with ghee. Pour in the mixture and spread it evenly to about 3 to 4 mm thick. Thinner sheets crack, and thicker ones do not dry evenly.
- Dry in the sun. Place the tray in direct sunlight for one to two full days. The surface should feel dry to the touch and peel away cleanly from the tray.
- Cut and store. Peel the dried sheet gently. Cut it into strips or squares, or roll it into cylinders. Dust lightly with sugar if you like. Store in an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for longer storage.
| Stage | Time | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| Prep and blend | 5 minutes | Smooth, lump-free puree |
| Cook on flame | 6 to 8 minutes | Pulls away from the pan |
| Spread and sun-dry | 1 to 2 days | Peels clean and is not sticky |
| Cut and store | 5 minutes | Airtight container |
Aam papad without sunlight
No terrace or balcony? Use your oven. Preheat to 60 to 70 degrees C and do not go higher, because hotter air cooks the sugars and turns the leather brown and brittle. Line a tray with parchment, spread the cooked pulp as above and dry it with the oven door slightly ajar for 4 to 6 hours. Check every hour after the fourth hour. The leather is ready when it peels cleanly and does not stick to the fingertip.
An air fryer on its lowest setting, with the basket lined with parchment, also works and usually needs less time. Check every 30 minutes once the surface looks dry. Oven-dried leather is a little chewier and denser than sun-dried, and it stores just as well.
Aam papad with less sugar, and portion size
With very ripe Alphonso you can reduce the sugar or leave it out. The leather will be slightly less glossy and a little more tart, which many adults prefer. Do not replace sugar with artificial sweeteners, which can change how the sheet dries.
Aam papad is concentrated fruit. Drying removes water, so each strip carries more sugar than the same weight of fresh mango. Treat it as a sweet, not as a fruit serving, and keep portions small. People managing diabetes or blood sugar should ask their doctor or dietitian before adding it to their diet. Our guide to mango for diabetes has more background.
Fixing common aam papad problems
- Cracks: the layer was too thin. Spread to 3 to 4 mm next time.
- Sticky surface: it needs more drying time. Return it to the sun or oven and check again.
- Brown, brittle sheet: the heat was too high or the cooking ran too long.
- Stringy texture: the mango was fibrous. Strain the pulp through a fine sieve before cooking.
- Too sweet or too tart: adjust the sugar and lemon juice in the next batch.
For other ways to use pulp, try our aamras recipe, the mango smoothie recipe and the guide to freezing mango pulp.
See also: Aam Papad Price: Amba Poli 100 g Listed at Rs 175
People also ask
What is amba poli?
Amba poli is the Marathi name for aam papad, a mango leather made by cooking ripe mango pulp, spreading it thin and drying it until chewy. It is sweet with a light tang, and it is made at home across India, especially when ripe mangoes are plentiful.
How do you make aam papad at home?
Blend ripe Alphonso into a smooth puree, cook it with a little sugar for 6 to 8 minutes, then add cardamom, black salt and lemon juice. Spread the mixture 3 to 4 mm thick on a greased tray, dry it in sun or an oven, then cut and store it.
How long does aam papad take to dry in the sun?
Sun drying usually takes one to two full days. Spread the pulp 3 to 4 mm thick, so it dries evenly. It is ready when the surface feels dry to the touch and the sheet peels away from the tray cleanly without sticking to your fingers.
Can I make aam papad without sunlight?
Yes. Dry the spread pulp in an oven at 60 to 70 degrees C with the door slightly ajar for 4 to 6 hours, checking every hour after the fourth. An air fryer on its lowest setting also works. Higher heat turns the leather brown and brittle.
Can I make aam papad with tinned mango pulp?
Yes. Tinned Alphonso pulp lets you make aam papad outside the mango season. Skip the blending step, cook the pulp with sugar and spices as usual, then spread and dry it. Our Alphonso Mango Pulp Tin is sold in 850 g and 3.1 kg sizes from Rs 590.
Related searches
- Aamras recipe
- Mango smoothie recipe
- Amba wadi recipe
- Mango pudding recipe
- Mango pulp price
- Freezing mango: storage guide
- Alphonso pulp tins (850 g and 3.1 kg)
- Freeze-dried Alphonso mango cubes
Sources and further reading
- APEDA, Mango pulp, accessed October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
- Geographical Indications Registry of India, public search record for application 379, Devgad Alphonso Mango (merged with application 139), accessed October 2026.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.
