Papadam, papadum, papad or papar is a thin fried dough made from lentils. Papadums are crispy and are used in Indian cuisine alongside curries or as a snack. The dough is made from lentil flour, or a mixture of lentil flour and rice flour. There are also variations with chickpea flour.
Of course, you can bake your own papadums, and it’s actually quite simple since the dough is yeast-free and therefore doesn’t need to rise. So it can quickly be mixed together, and the breads can be baked in no time.
However, there are also many fine, pre-baked variations of these Indian breads, and if you’re not up for baking yourself, you can definitely serve these. They are fully baked and just need to be heated before use – quick and easy!
Normally, the heating is done in a deep fryer, or they are dipped in oil and then baked in the oven.
However, I recently saw a Jamie Oliver program where he did something as simple as placing his papadums in a bowl and giving them 1 minute in the microwave on full power. It looked clever, and I was tempted to try it myself. The result was surprisingly good, so it won’t be the last time I do it that way.
No oil is used, and the time consumption is minimal. The only thing you need to be aware of is that the breads should not touch each other. Therefore, place them upright so you have room for a few pieces.
Enjoy!