papadum with red onion chutney and mint raita

Step 1

Slice your onion thinly. Really thinly. Cut it in half lengthwise. Set a half down on your cutting board. Cut off the stem end but leave the root end . Slice across the onion so you get half moon rings. Once you are done slicing the first half cut the onion slices in half to form quarter rings. Repeat the whole process with the other half onion.

Step 2

Deflame the onion. Takes the bite out of it. Put the sliced onion in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water for about a minute. Transfer the onion to a bowl of cold water. Let the onions soak in the fridge for 10 minutes. Drain. You can do this when you are making salsa as well. Smooths all the rough edges of the onion. This is a good restaurant trick for anything with raw onions.

Step 3

Combine the ketchup, cumin seed, masala chili sauce, salt and amchoor powder. Stir to combine. If you taste it now it will seem pretty spicy. Depending on the chili masala sauce you pick of course. Don't worry. The onions will dilute the heat. And papadum seem to soak up the fire. If anything it could be spicier if that's what you like.

Step 4

Fold in the onions. Mix thoroughly to coat the onions with the tomato mixture. If you have time refrigerate the red onion chutney for about an hour to mellow the flavours. It's good right away. It's a little better after it sits for a while. Taste it right before you are ready to serve and adjust the salt.

Step 5

Combine all the ingredients except the milk in a small bowl. Stir it up. Now decide if you like the texture.

Step 6

If you want it thinner add some milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you get to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 7

Have your red onion chutney and mint raita ready to go before you start cooking papadum. Papadum do not taste good once they cool too much. They are great hot. They are not great cold. Trust me on this one. Nobody will like cold papadum.

Step 8

Pick a skillet a little bigger than the papadum. 10 inch diameter is about perfect. Bigger is OK but it takes more oil.

Step 9

A good set of tongs is essential here. Have them ready when you start cooking.

Step 10

Pour enough oil into your pan to get it about 1/2 inch deep. Heat your oil to around 350F. Use a thermometer. Guessing never works well. If you must guess you want your papadum to cook in about 8-10 seconds and not wind up too brown. Thermometers are way easier. Better food through science.

Step 11

Have a plate with some paper towel on it nearby. You are going to need to have it close to the pan or you are going to drip oil everywhere.

Step 12

Slip a papadum into the oil. It will start to curl and cook immediately. After around 4-5 seconds grab it with your tongs and flip it. It will be pretty solid so this should be easy. Cook another 3-5 seconds. Grab one edge of the papadum and hold it vertically above the oil to drain a bit.

Step 13

Transfer the cooked papadum to the plate with the tongs. I like to have my tongs in my dominant hand and the plate in my other hand when I do this.

Step 14

Repeat no more than 6 times. Don't serve cold papdum. Just don't do it. Have I mentioned that?

Step 15

Serve the papadum with the red onion chutney and mint raita. Let your guests decide what they want to put on their papadum.