Making Papadam Bread

[fierydrunk]

I bought some almost-made papadam bread at a grocery today and want some input on how to make it. In college, I would throw them into a microwave for 10 seconds and voila, but we don't want to use our microwave. Any tips????

[Monica Bhide]

Its not really a bread more like a wafer I guess

What kind it it? You could roast it on an open flame if you have a gas range or deep fry it

[fierydrunk]

Yeah, like a cracker, but the Indian restaurants always classify it as a bread.

Everytime I tried to cook it on an open flame on my gas stove, it would cook unevenly. Would frying it in a little oil in an iron skillet or even putting it in an oven work? What temp/for how long in an oven?

[McDuff]

Deep-fry it. Chef at cc I worked at used to make it that way and it was addictive.

[carswell]

Everytime I tried to cook it on an open flame on my gas stove, it would cook unevenly.  Would frying it in a little oil in an iron skillet or even putting it in an oven work?  What temp/for how long in an oven?

Deep-frying is best, IMHO. But as I don't have a deep fryer or, sometimes when cooking an Indian feast, even a spare burner, I often go the oven route. About 2-3 minutes in a medium-hot oven (400ºF) does it, if I recall correctly.

You can also approximate a deep fryer by filling a heavy skillet with 1/2 inch of oil and turning the papadam over half way through the cooking.

Don't have a gas stove, unfortunately, so no comment on the open-flame method. You can do something similar on a barbecue, however; the larger heat source makes it easier to avoid uneven cooking.

Just wondering: has anyone tried toasting papadams under the broiler?

[albiston]

Just wondering: has anyone tried toasting papadams under the broiler?

Yep, I have. And I've also tried putting them in a toaster. They do pop up as on direct flame but not as nicely. And they tend to cook unevenly, especially in the toaster. More a "I want papadum and I don't feel like frying" measure than one I'd use every time.

[fierydrunk]

any tips then for cooking on an open flame? i would prefer to stay away from frying everytime...the problem I have had have been uneven cooking (not cooking at all and burning)...

[Sleepy_Dragon]

They can be cooked in a toaster (the kind for vertically toasting bread, as opposed to the horizontal mini oven-like ones), but only if babied.

The way I used to do it before succumbing to the microwave:

Place large bowl next to toaster, have tongs on hand as well if you have trouble holding things above heating elements.

Chop desired stack of pappads in half right down the middle.

Set toaster on highest setting, press the bread-lowering switch.

When the heating elements are glowing, grab a half of pappad in each hand, and place them into their own toaster slot as far down as they will go without causing them to squash or fold up.

Watch them heat up, when they seem evenly blistered (won't take long), take them out and lay them in the bowl.

Repeat for all of the pappads. You'll now have a bowlful of half slices cooked on one end.

Then repeat the entire process again this time grabbing the cooked ends and inserting the uncooked end. Start with the ones you began with, by now they should be cool enough to easily handle the cooked side.

Takes a little practice to not get brown spots from overcooking, and the results will always be a bit wavy, but they do cook evenly and it works. The ones with plenty of black pepper bits interspersed throughout are the easiest to handle because they generally stay pretty flat.

Pat, also not a microwave fan

[Jadrool]

I've had good luck just heating them up in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. No need to use any oil. Get the pan nice and hot first and have a pair of tongs or wooden spatula handy. (Tongs or spatula in one hand, pot holder on the other--the cast iron pan gets hot hot hot.) Toss in the papadam in the pan and cook on one side. Little bubbles will start to appear and the bread (wafer?) will turn whitish and lift up off the skillet. Then at just the right moment (all white, not stuck to the skillet, but not burnt either), flip it over with the tongs or wooden spatula and cook the other side for a few seconds. You may have to waste a couple figuring out the right temperature for the pan, but once you get it down it a great way to go.

[fierydrunk]

As I have no regular toaster anymore I will definitely try your cast iron/no oil version! Thanks!

BTW, I tried the oven version and 400 was too hot for 2 minutes...my oven I will have to set to 300 as 400 burned it slightly within seconds.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I have prepared them many times over an open flame--backpacking/camp stoves and gas stoves alike. If doing them this way, you need good tongs, quick reflexes, and careful attention to rotate them so all areas get equally cooked. They tend to curl as they cook so it's hard to keep all even, but it can be done well with patience.

I now have an electric stove and am back to microwaving. It works great, lots easier, not as much fun, though.