How to Cook Papads in Seconds

It is a crunchy delightful finger food from the Indian subcontinent. A thin, crisp, disc-shaped and spicy Indian version of Tortilla/wafer.
Generally, papads or papadums are generally served as an accompaniment to a meal or a drink in India. We also serve them as delicious starters or snacks. They are sometimes topped with chopped tomatoes, carrots or coriander. Tomato chutney or ketchup may accompany as a sauce to dip in. With less than 200 calories (I know you will not stop at one) papad is the best snack. Dry roasted papad may have 13 calories, and fried papad will be less than 40 calories.
It is generally made from flours of lentil, chickpea, black gram or rice. A seasoned dough of the ingredients is rolled wafer-thin and dried under the sun. Urad daal( Split Black Gram ), is one of the popular lentils used to make papad. Several flavors like mint, pepper, garlic can also be tried out. The dried wafers are stocked in most of the stores, which can be cooked, and served as delicious snacks. In different parts of India, different ingredients and styles are used to prepare papads.
You could try different types of servings and toppings to go with the papad. Many relish plain baked/roasted/fried papads are delightful crisps. It is a pure vegetarian crisp, but not gluten-free. It adds flavor and texture to any meal. A cracking start to the rest of the meals.

Plan for any meals/drinks, fiestas, or for no occasion at all. You will find papads are available ready to be cooked in most of the stores. It is almost ready to eat, which saves you the trouble of the main process of making it. Some of the best snacks, which go well with wines and liquors, are the various forms of papad. Most of the servings of papad are less than 200 calories. Cooked papads will get soggy if kept in damp environments, so avoid keeping them for long. Crush some roasted or fried papads. Toss it with chopped onions, tomatoes. Enjoy quality snacks during TV time. I relish crushed papads over olive salads. The menagerie is truly mouth-watering and exotic.

These can be roasted alongside a barbecue and add a crispy texture to the meals.

You can cook papad by deep-frying, roasting over an open flame, baking in an oven or a microwave oven.

Roasting papads over an open flame (gas stove).

• Keep the flame to the smallest for your initial attempts.
• Hold papad delicately with a pincer or tongs above the flame. Move it around so that it roasts evenly, in a matter of seconds.
• Flip the papad over and roast the other side.

• The cooked papad will be non-greasy with little black spots with a crunchy roasted flavor.

Deep frying in oil.

• This method is also popular wherein papads are deep-fried in any vegetable oil. Heat the oil in a pan.
• When the oil is heated slide the papad carefully into the oil, one at a time, it takes a few seconds to fry.
• Also, remove excess oil by placing them on paper.

Microwave cooking

• Put 1 papad in the microwave oven.
• Microwave the papad for 25 secs depending on the power of the microwave.
• You could also grease it on both sides with a little oil, before cooking in the microwave, to give it a fried flavor. This is better than deep-fried as less oil is used and fat content does not increase much. In some ovens, you can cook 2-3 papads at a time.

Baking papads in an oven

• Bake the papads in an oven at 375 deg Fahrenheit for 30 secs. You may slightly smear it with oil, for a fried taste. They'll burn quickly, so watch them closely as they cook.

So now the papads are cooked, enjoy the crisps. If the papads are to be served later, keep them in an airtight container.

So simple, even your husband can do it.

A simple fried or roasted papad topped with an Indian salsa.

Served as an appetizer in restaurants.
Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp chopped Onion.

• 1 tbsp chopped Tomato.

• ½ tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves.

• ¼ tsp Lemon Juice.

• Chili Powder, as per taste.

• Salt to taste.

The above ingredients are for 1 papad. Scale the quantities as per the papads you are planning to serve.
Method:
Cook the papad as per your liking roasted or fried. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, except papad. Spread the mixture on the papad. Serve immediately before the papad gets soft.

Papad Tacos

• Heat a nonstick girdle/pan. Roast each papad till both sides are lightly golden.

• Remove from heat, lightly wrap around a thick rolling pin.to get the shape of tacos shells while it is hot.

• Heat oil in a pan on a low flame. Add cumin seeds and add onions sauté for a min.

• Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and sauté for a few seconds.

• Add black cooked chickpeas, chat masala, salt mix and cook for 2-3 mins. Cook till the mixture dries. Mash some of the chickpeas to make a thick gravy, to bind the ingredients together.

• Add lemon juice and mix well.

• Place roasted shells on a serving platter and fill them with black chickpeas mixture.

Experiment with the fillings.

Discover new fusion combinations.

Try the usual Taco fillings like Taco meat, Charro beans.

Share your experiences.

Papad Bar

You could also have a papad bar so that each one fills for himself/herself as per his liking. It saves you a lot of hectic work. Just keep the papads roasted and ready.