Papadoms

[Chopstix]

I have a package of papadoms. I used to fry them but they come out too oily and messy to eat. I recently ate at a wonderful Indian restaurant here where their papadoms were very dry and crunchy. How do I make them like that?! They seemed toasted or dry-roasted but there's not one brown/black spot on them... They were just beautifully even-colored. Could they have been baked?

I hope Yakuta's around to tell me ...

TIA!

 

[YT2095]

it is possible to do them in the Microwave too
put a cup in there and rest the popadum ontop of that so it`s sort of right in the center of the MW with minimal contact to anything, and nuke it for a few seconds, best to keep watching though and take them out right away when cooked, too long in there and they will burn.

this is how I cook mine at home anyway.

 

[Half Baked]

I've never had that trouble with papadoms. Is your oil hot enough?

YT - I'm definately going to try that procedure! Wow, what a saving on calories.

 

[Yakuta]

Hi Chopstix, the authentic way to make them roasted is on an open flame. Turn on your gas stove and place it on low. Hold a single pappadum with a tong and place it on the flame and slowly roast it all over. It will have some charred spots but that enhances it's flavor.

As the earlier poster referred you can also make them in the microwave. I have mixed reviews about that because it all depends on the type of pappadums (there are many kinds some are super thin and some are thick, not sure if you know they are made with different beans, some beans like moong are lighter than others like urad). For the thin ones the microwave does a good job for the thick ones I would use the flame method.

If you have the luxury of a microwave then here is what I would do -

Place it on a plate and let it roast for 1 minute on one side. Then flip it onto the other side and let it roast for another minute. This method works better than just leaving it on one side for one or two minutes. That causes hot spots and burn spots (atleast in my microwave and sometimes leaves them raw around the edges).

 

[YT2095]

the problem with the plate is that as the moisture escapes and condenses you get a wet plate, that`s why in the center on a cup with only the rim supporting it is best

this method is Tried and True

 

[Yakuta]

Microwaving to me is a convenience but the true and tried method done for centuries in India is roasting it on an open flame.

 

[YT2095]

I agree totaly, however, when you want a quick popadum during the TV adverts, setting fire to some stuff isn`t always possible

Urad and and Moong I have tried, can you get them with Channa?

 

[jennyema]

I just throw mine in the microwave with no plate, cup or anything.

Yum. I have some here at work. Be right back .....

 

[Andy M.]

How do you guy eat them?

Are they used as a wrap or torn up for dipping or what??

 

[jennyema]

They are crispy like a cracker. Here at work I just eat it like a cracker.

In the restaurant you usually get an onion chutney and a sweet (tamarind?) sauce for dipping.

 

[urmaniac13]

Oh, cool!! I love papadums but I never tried making them myself, as I was also not sure how they were made. This will be another thing to try when we finally have a wood burning oven installed in our new flat!! Thanks for posing the question Chops, and thanks for your usual helpful answer, Yakuta!!

 

[Yakuta]

Chana Dal is considered pretty dense and hence traditional pappadums are not normally made with it. The most popular ones are moong because it's a more tender bean.

Andy, traditionally pappadums are eaten as an accompainement to dahl and rice or anything that goes with soft rice (we have our own version of risotto made with rice and moong or tur beans with some pure ghee).

In India you normally crunch it all up and add it to your dahl and rice or rice and another gravy (we call it kadhi and it's made with lots of yogurt and spices, almost like a soup). It adds a nice crunchy element to the soft food.

A traditional Indian comfort meal is a bowl of dahl, soft rice cooked with a touch of pure ghee or clarified butter, some roasted pappadums on the side and a pickle (sweet or spicy, ours are laced with a ton of spices, oil and sugar).

Indian restaurants in the West use them as a starter course with numerous sweet and savory dipping sauces but that's a very west thing.

 

[Chopstix]

Thanks for the answers. I'll try the microwave method then.

Yakuta, thanks for enlightening us about the traditional way of cooking, eating and spelling pappadums! (Btw I went to India last December and fell in love with dosa! Guess that's for another thread...!)

Urmaniac, a wood burning oven in your flat???!!!! Wow! Must be a very big flat! I can imagine the smell of pizza and breads wafting through your new flat!

 

[Shaheen]

How do you guy eat them?

Are they used as a wrap or torn up for dipping or what??

I'd say they are more of an accompaniment.
I love to eat fried poppadams (we call them papad here) with dal, rice with dollop of ghee on it!

When I want to make a quick snack, I deep fry the papad and thentop it with chopped tomatoes, onions, coriander leaves and sprinkle it with chaat masala. Yummy!