Does Anyone Cook Papadums?

[Palanan]

I reeeeally love Indian food, and I'm trying to learn to cook a broader range of my favorite items. This includes the crispy papadum bread, which I can eat whole stacks of, but which are usually way overpriced in Indian restaurants.

Since I like browsing in those little Indian groceries, I've occasionally tried some of the store-bought varieties which only need a moment or two in hot oil. Unfortunately, I really don't have the knack for doing them--lots of exploding oil, and even worse, the results are usually coated in a thin layer of same.

So, does anyone have any experience cooking these? What am I doing wrong?

[The_Admiral]

ahhh I can tell you stories of that stuff. That one time we found a packet of it chewed open, and every last piece was untouched.

Anyway, not sure what you are doing wrong really. From what I can tell it's like Keropok, just dump it in hot oil and you're set.

[Mammal]

I've never made papadum, but if the bread is coming out of the oil greasy, it's probably because your oil isn't hot enough. Ideally, frying oil is so hot that the food item cooks almost immediately after it is submersed, and then removed before the oil can soak into it. Perhaps you need specialty oil or pans?

And remember: smother grease fires (with a pan lid or with baking soda), don't add water.

[The_Admiral]

Definitely not speciality oil or pans, I remember using palm oil to cook papadam, that's as far away from speciality as I can see.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by The_Admiral
From what I can tell it's like Keropok, just dump it in hot oil and you're set.

Mmm, shrimp crackers. I love those too. :smalltongue:


Originally Posted by Mammal
Ideally, frying oil is so hot that the food item cooks almost immediately after it is submersed, and then removed before the oil can soak into it.

Well, usually I heat the oil, drop in the papadum, and within a couple of seconds it blossoms out and puffs up--and then I hastily lever it out (this is the awkward part) and put it on paper towels to drain. It's only in the oil for 3-4 seconds, and then I do my best to remove it fast. Sadly, it still comes out with the oil clinging to its surface, especially in the crevices. A good amount drains out, but not all of it.

As for the type of oil, I usually use extra-virgin olive oil. It serves just fine for falafel, which is something else I've done a lot of.

[Mammal]

Do you have a mesh strainer or wire basket? You could improvise a friar, like the ones used in restaurants if you set the food in the strainer, and then set the strainer in the pan with the oil. It'd be easier to remove, too, though cleanup wouldn't be very fun/

[Kneenibble]

Here are two rupees, that Mammal is right about the heat of the oil being your greasening culprit. I know this from working in a pub kitchen back in University. Crank the flame, Palanandeep-ji.

Extra virgin olive oil would be setting off smoke alarms if you had it correctly hot enough to make papadums. You need to use some really high-smoke-point oil like peanut or, better yet, ghee. Gheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Credentials for this post: I have lived in Tamil Nadu. :cool:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Kneenibble
Extra virgin olive oil would be setting off smoke alarms if you had it correctly hot enough to make papadums.

Heh. Sometimes it does. I've learned to keep the hood fan on maximum to draw up the vapors while it's cooking.


Originally Posted by Kneenibble
Credentials for this post: I have lived in Tamil Nadu.

Do they have dosas there? I love a good dosa.

*curses Trader Joe's for discontinuing yet another favorite item*


Originally Posted by Mammal
Do you have a mesh strainer or wire basket? You could improvise a friar....

I'm sure I've got some brown robes around here somewhere.

:smalltongue:

[luciérnaga]

I fdon't fry them anymore. I just take the papadams from the store and put them into a flat, heated pan. Was a tip I got from a man at an Indian store and it works as good, but they are not that soaked in fat.
Another, not that traditional way - put them in the microwave for a short time. ^^

[Palanan]

Hmm. How does that work, design-wise? How hot do you heat the pan, and how long do you leave the papadums on?

Oil-less papadums would be worth looking into.

[luciérnaga]

Hmm. How does that work, design-wise? How hot do you heat the pan, and how long do you leave the papadums on?

Oil-less papadums would be worth looking into.

Mh, difficult to say. :) I first heat the pan on the maximum levels and put it down if they begin becoming brown quickly. The first ones take a little, then it's getting quite quick. Rather a matter of seconds if it's really hot.

I often make a lot of them. Quite a good roleplaying snack too, just combined with hoummus or these traditional(?) hot (chili, ginger, Curry with Oil), sweet (mango chutney) and sour (mint, coriander, as vegan - soy - yoghurt) sauces.

[Kneenibble]

Heh. Sometimes it does. I've learned to keep the hood fan on maximum to draw up the vapors while it's cooking.

Do they have dosas there? I love a good dosa.

*curses Trader Joe's for discontinuing yet another favorite item*

Okay then, problem solved! Use a more appropriate oil so you can heat it as hot as Satan's hoof, and the oil will roll off your papadums as water from a lacquered walking stick.

Tamil Nadu is the land of dosas. Oh, sweet mercy, I am hungry thinking of them now. Ahhhh, a golden masala dosa drooling with ghee, a dish of sambar and of coconut chutney nearby...

**** it, I'm going out for dinner.

[Nightgaun7]

Peanut oil or canola oil are both cheap and easy to cook papadums in.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N66dnNZcrzo

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by luciérnaga
Another, not that traditional way - put them in the microwave for a short time.

Well, after some happy experimentation just a little while ago, I am pleased to report that microwaving is now my favorite option.

After a little judicious internet searching, I found this detailed account (http://www.thasneen.com/cooking/healthy-microwaved-pappadums-crispy-indian-flatbread/) of microwaving papadums, and I can report that pretty much everything she says is accurate. It takes two minutes, at least, for the papadums to fully crisp up, and you will have a very hot plate in the process.

But wow, it's worth it. Punjabi masala papadums are back on the menu!


Originally Posted by Kneenibble
Tamil Nadu is the land of dosas. Oh, sweet mercy, I am hungry thinking of them now. Ahhhh, a golden masala dosa drooling with ghee, a dish of sambar and of coconut chutney nearby...

Next I want to learn how to cook dosas. I love a crispy dosa with all the best spices.

At least, I love the dosas that Trader Joe's used to make, since those were the only kind I've had. I weep for their discontinued status.



*curses Trader Joe's again:*

*Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!*

[Pam Smith]

Interesting you mention that, as I always use the Papadum Express Microwave papad or papadum tray. My sister from Australia introduced me to this great product. The kids now just make their own papadums with their friends and keep their snack going. thank god as i would never allow them to cook in oil or flame without some sort of supervision. the speed makes it worth cooking and eating papadums and thats why I have now stopped frying them completely. When i was a kid myself in Singapore mum always fried them, loved them even then, but as we get older oils are a no no. so the papadum express is the only option for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJy4N2y9WO4
Also, I love papadums as a lean bread. I use it with everything now. no more bread . toppings with some shardwood or patakhs like chopped or bottled salsa dips and fun light cheese now all my girlfriends are doing the same. papadums all year round in the microwave in the papadum express. keep it simple fat free and papadums are the best

[Karoht]

Well, usually I heat the oil, drop in the papadum, and within a couple of seconds it blossoms out and puffs up--and then I hastily lever it out (this is the awkward part) and put it on paper towels to drain.Try tongs instead of whatever it is you are using. Levering something out of hot oil sounds incredibly unsafe.
If your tongs are too short, go buy some longer ones.

Or as someone mentioned, buy a wire basket you can use as a fry basket.

And I will also sound off against using EVOO to deep fry. It just doesn't work. Canola works fine, or even Grapeseed. Grapeseed is a lot like EVOO in most respects, but with a much higher smoking point. And peanut oil is all kinds of awesome.
Or Ghee. Totally up with the Ghee there Kneenibblejarbit!

[Pam Smith]

That's exactly the reason, i will not allow my kids anywhere near hot/frying oils at all. Microwaving is all I will allow them to do for popcorn and papadums. Without the papadum express tray, I used to do one at a time, but now we can make 5 or 6 .. but the kids are safe. that's the most important thought in my head. Love the papads but must be safe if eaten regularly. :smallsmile:

[Karoht]

That's exactly the reason, i will not allow my kids anywhere near hot/frying oils at all. Microwaving is all I will allow them to do for popcorn and papadums. Without the papadum express tray, I used to do one at a time, but now we can make 5 or 6 .. but the kids are safe. that's the most important thought in my head. Love the papads but must be safe if eaten regularly. :smallsmile:Papadum express tray? Sounds nifty.

Anything deep fried is really best left to the professionals, but as the OP mentioned, the professional's touch is not always affordable. I would be willing to give microwave papads a try if one is vouching that they are worthy.

[Pam Smith]

Hey Karoth,

yeah, you got a point there. the same one's I considered before moving to microwaved papadums. Are they any good!? I asked.

Couple of things here: My hubbie started with 1 at a time in the microwave, but takes ages just to make 5. over 5 minutes:smallannoyed:
Just then my sister in Australia had been using this papadum express tray, on several occasions we came across excellent tasting papadums in quick bursts, so then I purchased one, and since then it's been a great buy and a no brainer. As a family we cannot consume so much saturated fat, Us being from Singapore we love our curries and papadums, so we had to shift to a healthier way to eat them. Once the tray started making 5 in 60 seconds, I knew I was very happy not only with the taste but time saved and fats consumed. frankly the taste is much better, cleaner and you taste the lentils more than fried. I am a big fan of microwaving them. I don't think we've cooked fried papadums now for over 2 years. papadum express in the microwave and we have our fat free healthy papadums all the time. i can't go back. it doesn't make sense no more. Microwave papadums are super easy!:smallsmile::smallsmile:

[Aedilred]

I've tried frying poppadoms but never got the hang of it. When cooking them at home I usually used the microwave, although on one occasion trying to microwave quite an old (and possibly not-microwaveable) poppadom I just cracked the plate and the poppadom itself remained stubbornly uncooked. Microwaved ones are never quite the same, either, but they're better than nothing.

These days I just tend to buy them precooked, which always makes me feel a bit guilty, but at least I know they're going to be crispy and tasty. And I make the curry from scratch so that mollifies the guilt a little. The rest of the time I'm just getting a takeaway so I'll get the poppadoms at the same time.

[Pam Smith]

hi Aedilred,

try these papadum brands at home. I never oil any of them.
some pics from the net
these papadums really cook well in the microwave


lijat:

http://www.fnbnews.com/images/25079Lead%204%20%2B%20papad.jpg


Patakhs:

http://shed.robhealey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Pataks-Pappadums.jpg


Sharwoods:

http://veggies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sharwoods_puppodums.jpg


Joy:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0226/0459/products/Chana_Masala_large.jpg%3Fv%3D1373082212



Papadum Express tray:

http://www.papadumexpress.com/v/vspfiles/templates/219/images/lightbox/thumb/Papadum-Express-lightbox2.jpg

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