Sun-dried lentil badi made from a family recipe in Bihar

The idea

Badi are small sun-dried nuggets made from ground lentil batter, used in curries and rice dishes across North India. The idea is to make them in a home kitchen from a family recipe and sell them packed, to local and online customers.

In Bihar, Sheetal Kumari started GomatiRoots from the badi her mother made by hand. According to the business, she later received 1 lakh rupees (roughly $1,200) in funding through YourStory's Shuru Kar initiative. Beyond that, we have few details, so the numbers below are our own estimates.

Customers pay for the homemade taste, clean ingredients and the effort of a slow, traditional process that shop-bought badi often lacks.

Who it fits

Anyone who can cook, has a family recipe and a sunny terrace, balcony or courtyard. It works beside a job or childcare because batches are made in a few hours and dried over a couple of days. It suits home cooks, especially women, in towns where migrants miss home food. The same model works for any dried or fermented specialty: papad in India, dried pasta in Italy, or dried sausages elsewhere.

Costs and revenue

You need lentils, spices, trays or clean cloth, a grinder, airtight pouches, labels and a food licence. Expect roughly $200–900 to start, mostly for packaging, a good grinder and registration.

Price by weight, usually in 200–500 g packs, and add a margin over lentils, packing and your time. As an estimate, a part-time seller can expect around $100–400 a month once a regular customer base exists. Sales grow with festival gifting and repeat orders.

Risks and pitfalls

• Weather: monsoon rain spoils drying. Use a covered dryer or make batches in the dry season and stock up.
• Hygiene and licensing: register with food authorities (FSSAI in India) and keep surfaces and hands clean.
• Shelf life: damp badi grows mould. Dry fully and pack in airtight bags.
• Consistency: keep the recipe and size the same every batch so buyers return.
• Shipping: badi is brittle. Use firm packs and test parcels before selling far away.