In short: Papad, mirgunda, kurdai and fryums are all traditional Indian sun-dried snacks made from similar base ingredients — rice, sago/sabudana, millet or wheat — but they differ in shape, thickness and how they're prepared. Papad is thin and rolled flat into a round disc; mirgunda is a handmade, uneven-shaped rectangle typically bought in bulk for community events (bhandara), weddings and large public gatherings; kurdai is a thin, noodle-like coiled shape also called "string papad"; and fryums are ready-to-fry sticks or shaped pieces. All four are sold dry and are deep-fried or roasted just before eating — none are eaten raw.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category |
Shape / Form |
Thickness |
Typical Base |
Preparation |
Product Page |
| Papad |
Thin, flat, rolled round disc |
Thinnest of the four |
Rice/poha, sago-potato, ragi/nachani, plus spinach/tomato/beetroot/chilli variants |
Deep-fried or roasted |
Papad Range (11 SKUs) → |
| Mirgunda |
Uneven-shaped rectangular, handmade |
Handmade, variable thickness |
Rice/poha, sago-potato, ragi, palak |
Deep-fried; bought in bulk for bhandara, weddings & large events |
Mirgunda Range (6 SKUs) → |
| Kurdai |
Thin, noodle-like coil ("string papad") |
Thinner than papad — noodle-like |
Rice, wheat (gahu), semolina (rava), ragi |
Deep-fried |
Kurdai Range (4 SKUs) → |
| Fryums & Snacks |
Ready-to-fry sticks / shaped pieces |
Variable, stick-form |
Sago-potato (sticks); tamarind-based (Chinchgola, Fresh & Black variants) |
Deep-fried |
Fryums & Snacks → |
Why the Confusion? They Share the Same Roots
All four categories are made using the same core method — a dough shaped thin, then traditionally sun-dried rather than machine-dried, so they can be stored for months and cooked on demand. The overlap in base ingredients (rice, sago/sabudana, millet, wheat) is exactly why the names get used loosely across regions in India. The reliable way to tell them apart is shape and thickness, not ingredient list: papad is the thinnest and flattest, mirgunda is a handmade, uneven-shaped rectangle typically bought in bulk for bhandara, weddings and large public events, kurdai is a thin, noodle-like coiled shape also known as "string papad", and fryums are stick or piece-shaped rather than disc-shaped. For more on how the sun-drying step itself works, see how papad is made.
Not sure which category fits your order? Our B2B team can help you pick the right SKUs across all four ranges.
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