I love a tower of restaurant papadums and a parade of chutneys as much as the next woman, but they can be overly greasy and salty. These papadums are neither, and you can make them at home in huge, family-sized rounds. Or, if you’re not into sharing, you can make lots of small, canapé-sized rounds using a cookie cutter. These are made with chickpea flour because I prefer the flavor, so don’t be surprised if these end up a little thicker than the ones you’re used to.
Makes 4 big sharing papadums (enough for 8 or more)
FOR THE TOMATO MASALA
1 pound ripe tomatoes
½ a red onion
1½ Indian green chiles
a large handful of cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lime juice
FOR THE PAPADUMS
2 cups chickpea flour (plus extra to dust)
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground red chile
3 tablespoons canola oil
Chop the tomatoes very finely, then do the same with the red onion, green chiles, and cilantro. Place in a serving bowl with the salt and lime juice, stir to mix, and refrigerate until needed. (The longer it sits, the tastier it will be.)
To make the papadums, preheat the oven to 300°F and line a couple of baking pans with lightly oiled foil. Place the chickpea flour in a large mixing bowl, and add the nigella seeds, black pepper, salt, cumin, and ground red chile. Mix thoroughly, then add the oil and work through with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the middle of the mix. Little by little, add ½ cup of water, mixing as you go—you may not need it all. Knead the dough until it comes together into a ball; it will be slightly tacky to the touch. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Lightly flour a clean surface and split the dough into 4 balls (about 4 ounces each). Take the first ball, flatten between your palms, and coat both sides in flour. Roll it into as big a round as you can, 10 inches in diameter if possible, adding a little more flour if it starts to stick. It’s not easy to get papadums round, but if you don’t manage it, they will look rustic (to use real estate agent terms).
When rolled, place on the oiled pan and repeat. You may need to cook them in a couple of batches, in which case cover the dough and roll it out just before baking, so it doesn’t dry out. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and hard when you tap them.
To serve, place the papadums on large plates and use a slotted spoon to spoon over the tomato masala, leaving the liquid behind. Or serve the masala in a bowl next to the papadums.
