Papadum, puppodum, pappadom

Alternative names for papadum
pāpaṛ	pappad	papparde	pappadom
pappadum	popadam	pompadum	poppadam
poppadom	appadum	appalum	appala
appoll	papari	pamporo	puppodum
pampad	happala	pappadum

Have you ever had this wafer-like bread at an Indian restaurant? At most curry houses, papadums are served in a basket as an appetizer, alongside various dips and chutney. Papadums are an important part of south Asian cuisine, so recipes (and names) vary from region to region and family to family. They're usually made from lentil or chickpea flour paste.

In Seattle, a determined foodie cook can buy ingredients for just about any ethnic cuisine. But it took me a long time to find "raw" papadums at an Asian superstore way up on Aurora Avenue. (Candi, good luck with that out in Montana.)

Papadums are fun to eat and exciting to make. The little wafer is fried in hot oil and they instantly double in size, like those magic dried sponges. They turn out crispy but not greasy, so a person sitting at the table can eat them almost as fast as the cook can fry them up. I know this for a fact.

Another interesting fact is that papadums help empower women in India. Many successful papad, pickle and snack businesses are run entirely by women, which provides regular family income from small financial investments. Packaged papadums from India have a long shelf life, so if you're lucky enough to find them-- stock up.