Papadums (besan/chickpea)

Step 1

Blend all the dry ingredients into a bowl to ensure spices and salt are distributed well.

Step 2

Add about half of the water to the dry mixture and knead it through.

Step 3

Continue adding water until you have a very firm, sturdy dough that doesn't crumble apart too easily and can be shaped into a ball. You do not want it to become sticky.

Step 4

Once you've got a firm dough, cover it with a bowl or plastic wrap and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives the moisture chance to distribute evenly within the dough and makes it easier to knead.

Step 5

Knead the dough by hand and roll it into a log. Using a knive or dough scraper, cut the log (see photo) into smaller pieces.

Step 6

Roll the dough with a rolling pin until it is very thin, less than 1 mm. Thinness is very important here! A thinner papadum will be crispier and more fragile. If the dough sticks too much, use a little bit of all purpose flour to dust the rolling pin and work surface.

Step 7

Place the rolled out dough onto a baking tray (or similar surface). Try not to cover the dough slabs with one another, it will prevent them from drying out well.

Step 8

Leave to dry in a warm area. Placing them in direct sunlight or a breezy area will help them dry out. While drying they will curl up. The drying time depends a lot on your climate. It can be done in a matter of hours or take more than a day.

Step 9

Pre-heat a shallow layer of oil (you'll need about 1cm (1/4 inch )in height only) until it's 180C. If you don't have a thermometer, pre-fry a piece of dried dough. It should start bubbling and crisping up in a matter of minutes.

Step 10

Once the oil is to temperature, add a dried papadum. It will start bubbling away almost immediately. Once it floats to the surface and has some air bubbles (will happen within 10 seconds) flip it over, leave for a few more seconds and then take out. Leave to cool down on a paper towl. It's best to just fry one at a time.

Step 11

Time to eat them! They work great with chutneys, mint sauce, yogurt, and lots more.

Step 12

The fried papadums don't keep well. Only fry those you plan on eating right away. The unfried/dried version can be stored for months on end if stored in a dry cool space.