Best Pappadams Lentil Wafers Recipes

HOMEMADE PAPADUMS FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, salt, optional powdered spices, and water until the ingredients just come together. Add the water little by little while mixing together, until you end up with a stiff dough. Feel free to adjust the salt and spices to taste. (Garlic powder and pepper are optional additions.)
• Knead and pound on the dough for several minutes. At first the dough will be sticky, but as you knead and pound on it, it will start to come together. You can grease your hands and counter to help keep everything from sticking. I've used both coconut oil and olive oil and both work well. (Any vegetable oil shoud work.)
• Take sections of the dough and roll them out on the countertop thinly, around 2mm thin. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out circular-shaped papadums and then use a rolling pin to roll the disks out it even thinner.
• Optionally sprinkle whole cumin seeds or other spices over the disks and use a rolling pin to gently press them into the papadums.
• Spread the poppadum disks over parchment paper to allow them to dry. Flip the disks ocassionally throughout the drying process. (You can speed up the process by drying them in the sun, a dehydrator, or an oven at its lowest temperature.)
• Dried papadums can be stored in an airtight container for later, or cooked for immediate serving.
• Papadums can be broiled in the oven, puffed in the microwave, or deep-fried. My favorite method is to deep fry or pan fry the papadums in a small amount of oil. Papadums made in this way crisp up instantly in the hot oil. Broiled and microwaved papadums also crisp up quickly but aren't as light and flaky as the deep-fried ones.

PAPPADAMS

Steps:

• To fry pappadams:
• In a heavy kettle heat 1 1/2 inches oil over moderate heat until it registers 365° F. on a deep-fat thermometer and fry pappadams until crisp and golden, 2 or 3 seconds. With tongs transfer pappadams to paper towels to drain briefly.
• To broil pappadams:
• Preheat broiler.
• Broil pappadams 4 to 6 inches from heat until they bubble and become opaque, about 10 seconds on each side.

LENTIL WAFERS/ BREAD (PAPPADUM)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in an Indian kadhai or a deep-fryer to a depth of 2 inches. When the oil is hot to 375 F degrees, drop one wafer into the oil. The wafer will turn several shades lighter and expand considerably, this will take about 5 seconds. Remove with a pair of tongs and drain on paper towels. Fry all the wafers the same way.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH SPICED OIL

Steps:

• Make the soup:
• In a large bowl wash the lentils in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear and drain them in a fine sieve. In a large heavy saucepan cook the onions in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the garlic and the gingerroot, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minutes. Add the cumin and the ground coriander seeds and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils, the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and the tomatoes and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. In a blender or food processor purée the mixture in batches, transferring it to a bowl as it is puréed, return the soup to the pan, cleaned, and season it with salt and pepper. The soup may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the soup and thin it, if necessary, with water.
• Make the spiced oil:
• In a small skillet or saucepan heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the chili, the cuminseed, and the turmeric, and fry the spices, stirring, for 10 to 15 seconds, or until the sizzling begins to subside. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Heat the soup over moderate heat, stirring, until it is hot and ladle it into bowls. Drizzle the spiced oil with a spoon over the soup, garnish each serving with a coriander sprig, and serve the soup with the pappadams.
• Make the pappadams:
• In a skillet at least 2 inches wider than a pappadam heat 1/2 inch of the oil to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer and in it fry the pappadams, 1 at a time, turning them, for 10 to 15 seconds, or until they have expanded and turned pale golden. Transfer the pappadams as they are fried to paper towels to drain. The pappadams may be fried 1 day in advance and kept, covered loosely, at room temperature.

PAPADUM (LENTIL CRACKERS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the flour, black pepper, cumin and salt.
• Add the water and knead the dough by hand until it is smooth.
• Depending on the flour you may need to add more or less water to reach the desired consistency. It should be wet enough to hold together but not too sticky.
• Divide the dough into 12 to 15 balls and roll out one ball at a time to a very thin round layer about 1/8 inch thick or use your pasta roller. Then place them on a slightly oiled surface oiled or silpat lined cookie sheets.
• Place the papadums in the oven preheated to about 200 F for 60-90 minutes.
• Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• Fry in a non-stick skillet in a small amount of oil (I prefer to dry fry them) until they are crispy but do not let them brown.
• Serve warm. They can also be made ahead and then be crisped up in a warm oven before serving.

PAPADAMS

Steps:

• Stir together the flour, pepper, ground cumin seed, and salt in a large bowl or in the food processor; mix thoroughly until the spices are evenly distributed.
• Add the garlic and mix well.
• Add enough of the water to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball; if necessary, add up to 1 additional tablespoon water.
• The dough should be fairly stiff and dry; if it is too wet, it will not roll well.
• Knead the dough for about 5 minutes by hand or pulse for about 15 seconds in the food processor; the dough should be smooth.
• With your hands, shape the dough into a cylinder or log about 2 inches thick and 6 inches long.
• With a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 1/2-inch thick slices.
• The next step uses oil, so do not use your pastry cloth and rolling pin sleeve.
• Place each slice on a lightly oiled surface.
• Lightly oil the top of the slice and then roll out into a very thin circle about 6 or 7 inches in diameter.
• Papadams must be rolled extremely thin, maximum 1/16 inch.
• If the dough sticks to your rolling pin, gently pull it off.
• Dust the tops of each papadam with cayenne pepper.
• Using a metal spatula to loosen the edges of the papadams from the rolling surface, carefully place them on large baking sheets.
• The traditional method for preparing and frying papadams is described below; you can also bake them in a 300F oven for about 15 to 25 minutes, or until crisp and dry.
• The cooking time may vary beyond this range depending upon the thickness and moisture in the rolled dough.
• Cool them on a rack.
• To prepare the papadams in an authentic manner, don't bake them; first allow them to dry by leaving them in the sun for a few hours or by placing them in a very low oven (less than 200F) for 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.
• Dry the papadams until they are just slightly flexible and show no moisture; they should not brown or bake, however.
• At this point, the papadams may be stacked flat and stored in an airtight container until needed; they will keep for months if stored properly.
• When ready to serve, heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a large skillet; the oil should be hot, but not smoking; a drop of water flicked into the skillet should sizzle immediately.
• One at a time, drop the papadams into the hot oil.
• Turn the papadam when it begins to curl at the edges; it will quickly fry and become crisp.
• Remove it before it turns brown.
• Cool and drain the papadams on paper towels and eat them immediately.