How To Fry Pappadams
Papadum is a side dish often served with rice in Southern India. Well, it’s a side dish depending on who you ask because my daughter will try to convince you that it’s a proper meal. In all fairness, pappadams are well-loved by people of all ages in Kerala and it’s just not a sadhya without freshly fried pappadums. These delicious crispy chips are made of spiced lentil flour and are gluten-free, high in fiber, high in protein, and can be a low-calorie food if you cook them in the microwave or over an open flame.
How to fry pappadams
Step by step directions to frying the perfect pappadam!
Equipment
- Metal skewer
- Slotted or skimmer spoon (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 packet Pappadams
- 2 cups Unrefined coconut oil
Instructions
- Pick up a packet of uncooked pappadams from the Indian store. Choose a pan that's larger than your dry pappadum because they expand quite a bit, some brands double in size. Pour in about an inch of coconut oil and heat it to around 355°F(180°C). If the oil is not hot enough, the pappadum will soak up oil and get soggy. If it's too hot it will burn.
- Break off a small piece of pappadum and drop it in the oil to check if the temperature is right for your brand of pappadum. I
- If it puffs up and floats to the top without burning you're ready.
- Fry the pappadum one at a time by sliding it into the oil. It will puff up immediately and will want to curl up so use a skewer to flatten it out quickly. Note: a curly pappadum is still a delicious pappadum so it's just about what you prefer. Quickly take it out using your skewer before it burns because a burned papadam is definitely not a delicious papadum.
- Lay it on a kitchen towel to drain.
- It can be made beforehand and stored in an airtight container for several days. It also keeps really well in the refrigerator, in fact, the best way to revive stale pappadam is to keep it in the fridge for a few hrs.
- Alternatively, you can cook pappadums hassle-free without oil in the microwave by placing them on a paper towel and heat them for 30 to 60 secs. The amount of time it takes depends on the microwave and the brand of papadum.
- You can use the same method to fry appalams, fryums, sago appalams, tapioca pappadom, and more.
- These chili sago appalams are so good. They love to curl into a funnel if you let them.
- Enjoy!
