Tamarind Chutney Papadum –– Appetizer/Snack in Northern India, Accompaniment to Meals in the South
Ever since my first crispy bite of a papadum over 40 years ago, they’ve remained one of my favorite food memories. That first bite happened while at London’s Cordon Bleu School where they were part of an Indian meal we cooked. They were so much fun. They puffed up in 
the hot oil becoming crisp and flavorful. Although it’s been years since my last papadum, I shared Tamarind Chutney Papadum as the appetizer in the recent A Taste of India Cooking Class.
Deep-fried? Nope, broiled.
I tried holding a papadum with a pair of tongs over a gas burner to no avail. Where the tongs were, the papadum was uncooked while the rest of it too easily burned. Another option to deep-frying is the microwave. Not having one, I decided to try the broiler. Timing was everything—in a matter of seconds they could burn. Once I got the timing down, delicious, puffed papadums every time.
What’s a papadum?
Indian crispy crunchy cracker-like flatbread are known as 
papad (in Northern India) and papadum (in Southern India). Made from lentil, chickpea, black gram, rice or tapioca flour, they’re gluten-free. Papadums start out almost paper-thin. They cook quickly, delightfully puffing up and becoming crispy crunchy.
Papadums are an important accompaniment to most southern Indian meals. Yet, they are served mostly as a snack or an appetizer in the North.
Find papadums online
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find papadums locally. Living in Montana, nary a Bozeman store carries them. I found these plain papadums online.
Tamarind?
Tamarind is the pod-like fruit (which is also a legume) of a tree found in both tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. India is the world’s largest producer of tamarind, where it is enjoyed in 
everything from chutneys to desserts.
Inside the pods are a few large seeds along with an edible sticky, tart and juicy pulp. The pulp becomes sweeter and less sour as it matures. But be forewarned, tamarind is very sour. It needs to be mixed with a sweetener to mellow its sourness.
In Montana, I’ve only found tamarind as a shelf-stable concentrate. Two easily found brands are Tamicom and Aunt Patty’s. I’ve used both brands for making Tamarind Chutney.
Surprise 😊
You may have unknowingly eaten tamarind for years, as one of the secret ingredients in Worcestershire sauce is tamarind extract.
Tamarind Chutney Papadum –
India’s Crispy Crunchy Flatbread
Serve papadums as a snack or appetizer dipped in or drizzled with a little Tamarind Chutney. Or serve them as a crispy accompaniment to the main meal. Papadums stay crisp for at least 3-4 hours or more, so they are easily cooked in advance.
Note: If doing a number of papadums, watch them carefully as the cooking time becomes even faster the longer the broiler is on.
Instructions
- Set the broiler on low and give it 5 minutes to warm up.
- Place 2 papadums slightly apart on a baking sheet.
- Broil about 6 inches from the heat until they begin to blister or buckle and take on a little color, 20 to 25 seconds. Do watch closely—they easily burn.
- Remove the pan and use a pair of tongs to turn the papadums over. Return them to the oven to broil until the second side blisters, 5-8 seconds longer. Serve warm or transfer papadums to a rack to serve later.
Tamarind Chutney for Tamarind Chutney Papadum
In Northern India, sweet and tart Tamarind Chutney is served with many appetizers and snack foods such as pakoras (vegetable fritters) and samosas (potato-filled pastries) or as a dipping sauce with papadums. It is quite tart when eaten on its own, yet just right as a dip or a drizzle. Though, you may prefer it sweeter. If so, add additional sweetener to taste.
Adapted from a recipe in Saveur.
Makes ¾ cup
Ingredients
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅓ cup tamarind paste
½ cup water
6 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground roasted red chili
Instructions
- Place a 9-10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the
ground cumin and cook just until fragrant. - Stir in the tamarind paste, water, sugar, ginger, salt and red chili powder. When the sugar dissolves, raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened enough to coat the back of a silicone spatula, 5-6 minutes. While warm Tamarind Chutney has the consistency of a thin chocolate sauce. It will thicken as it cools.
- Tamarind chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for a month or more.