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British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Starters & Side Dishes => Starters and Side Dishes Chat => Topic started by: Peripatetic Phil on January 25, 2011, 02:19 PM
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Just did a test frying of Rajah & TRS Madras poppadom; as I suspected, but had never previously confirmed, the TRS have a significantly better flavour.
** Phil.
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Hi Phil,
How exactly do you fry your popadums?
When I put mine in hot oil they curl up like those party whistles and come out (after 3 seconds) soaked in vegetable oil, left on a kitchen towel to dry out, 30 mins later they taste like vegetable oil.
Thanks
O.B
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Hi Phil,
How exactly do you fry your popadums?
When I put mine in hot oil they curl up like those party whistles and come out (after 3 seconds) soaked in vegetable oil, left on a kitchen towel to dry out, 30 mins later they taste like vegetable oil.
Thanks
O.B
Sounds as if your oil is not sufficiently hot. I take mine up to 190C at full power, then back it off to about 85% while I fry the poppadom. I hold them down in a vertical-sided earthenware crockpot or a good deep wok using metal kitchen tongs spread wide, then after just a few seconds grab one of edges that will by then have emerged above the oil, rapidly withdraw the poppadom, and hold it above the crockpot until all the excess oil has drained off. I then stand it vertically in a wicker basket lined with kitchen paper, and repeat until the basket will hold no more. They can then be eaten fresh, or if you want them on subsequent days, warm them in a cool oven (no more than 80C) for ten to fifteen minutes. Always serve them on fresh kitchen paper in a wicker basket to allow any residual oil to leach away from the poppadom and to allow the poppadom to breath.
** Phil.
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My method is to heat the oil, testing the temperature with small pieces of poppadum. When the piece expands almost as soon as it hits the oil, then is the time i start frying them.
I use a standard frying pan that you'd do your full English in, about 25 to 30cm diameter, measured across the top. Fill it 3/4 full of oil and heat till it reaches the right temperature as described above.
Then with two egg slices very close by i slide two poppadums into the oil. I then grab the egg slices and use the flat surfaces to submerge the poppadums. Almost immediately i remove them and turn them over and submerge them again then lift them out, prop them up vertically to drain on a plate lined with kitchen roll. The whole process is very very quick. i don't adjust the temp since you will cook a dozen of these very quickly and the temp will remain stable because of the constant introduction of poppadums into the frying pan. Rule of thumb though is once they stop swelling they're cooked. A second or two of over cooking is no harm but any more can impair the flavour. I reuse the oil several times for poppadum or onion bahji frying until there is a discernable colour change.
Using this method i manage to produce poppadums that look and taste no different to those servered in any BIR.
Hope this helps.
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I've read about this "fry two at once" method, and some authorities claim that that is how the majority of restaurants do it, but I have never found on trying it myself that it offers anything extra above and beyond the simple "hold one down and don't turn it" approach. What benefits do you see, CH ?
** Phil.
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Not sure how my local BIR does theirs Phil but one obvious advantage i see is that it takes less time to fry more poppadums ::). The more subtle advantage IMO is that the poppadum on the top creates some resistance and forces the one below to expand outwards rather than wrinkle and cook in a nonuniform shape while expanding, if you know what i mean ;D ;D. Tried doing one at a time and soon reverted back to two at once method. Seemed to give much more control over the cooking process.
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I like my poppadoms all curly cause they make better "spoons" for scopping up dips, chutneys etc. ;D
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I like my poppadoms all curly cause they make better "spoons" for scopping up dips, chutneys etc. ;D
Don't know why Stephen but that statement made me giggle so much but I know exactly what you mean ;D
I fry mine two at a time for pretty much the same reasons as Curryhell does. The pops do seem to stay flatter and expand better in the oil.
Ray :)
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Razor I've just scoffed three curly poppadoms with brinjal and lime pickles, mango chutney and yellow mint sauce
scrummy!!!
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One (possibly important) question, CH & Ray : what sort of poppadom do you use ? I don't mean which brand, but which of the two widely available variants : the Madras popaddom, which are about 6" in diameter and about 0,55mm thick, or the generic popaddom, which are closer to 8" in diameter and maybe 0,35mm thick ?
(Yes, I'm a sad s@d : I have just taken a vernier caliper to a Madras poppadom to get its dimensions : can you get any sadder than that ?!).
The reason I ask, of course, is that they behave very differently when fried.
Stephen : wot, no onion salad ?!
** Phil.
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Hi Phil,
My micrometer is currently away being calibrated but once it is back, I will let you know :P
Joking aside, I generally use plain pops either by Rajah or Nacto (I think) The nacto ones are slightly bigger in diameter but I would say that they are thinner. Do you think that it would make any difference?
Ray :)
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Joking aside, I generally use plain pops either by Rajah or Nacto (I think) The nacto ones are slightly bigger in diameter but I would say that they are thinner. Do you think that it would make any difference?
Yes ! The thin ones have very different cooking characteristics, and I have the greatest difficulty in cooking them well. In fact, that might also explain Onion B's problem, if he is using those. Both Rajah & TRS make "Madras" poppadom, which are clearly labelled as such, but in my experience the larger, thinner, poppadom require real skill to cook correctly, a skill that I seem to lack. (In fact, if those are the only ones I have, I find it safer to grill them rather than fry : they aren't the same, but at least they don't go oily or burnt).
Hope that helps !
** Phil.
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Hi Phil,
If it helps, I usually fry two at a time by sliding them into the oil in a wide frying pan, holding them under with a metal fish slice on the middle of the top pop. They usually curl around the fish slice then instantly flattern out.
Ray :)
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If it helps, I usually fry two at a time by sliding them into the oil in a wide frying pan, holding them under with a metal fish slice on the middle of the top pop. They usually curl around the fish slice then instantly flattern out.
OK, maybe this "two at once" method is the secret to the large thin papad; it will be interesting to see whether Curryhell also uses those. Certainly for the smaller, thicker, Madras, poppadom, two at once seems unnecessary.
** Phil.
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Hi Phil,
If it helps, I usually fry two at a time by sliding them into the oil in a wide frying pan, holding them under with a metal fish slice on the middle of the top pop. They usually curl around the fish slice then instantly flattern out.
Ray :)
Exactly how i do it Ray but i use two fish/egg slices so i can easily control the little blighters once they start to curl. Currently i have the ordinary Rajah madras popps measuring 6" in diameter (thickness varies from one to another). I have only ever come across 8" ones that contain chili seeds or are flavoured with garlic etc. Normally, wouldn't these would be served as a masalla poppadum and cooked in the tandoor (which i really detest as they seem to stick to the teeth)? I have never tried deep frying them. Can you imagine how big they would become :o
All i can say is that i have been using this method ever since i started attempting to cook BIR and there's no difference between what i put on the table and what is served by any of the restaurants or takeaways i use. I wish i could master cooking the dishes as easily as i have mastered the poppadum cooking :'( Thanks for the heads up on the TRS tasting better. Only 3 packs of Rajah to get through, then TRS it is. ;D
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Hi Phil,
If it helps, I usually fry two at a time by sliding them into the oil in a wide frying pan, holding them under with a metal fish slice on the middle of the top pop. They usually curl around the fish slice then instantly flattern out.
Ray :)
Exactly how i do it Ray but i use two fish/egg slices so i can easily control the little blighters once they start to curl. Currently i have the ordinary Rajah madras popps measuring 6" in diameter (thickness varies from one to another). I have only ever come across 8" ones that contain chili seeds or are flavoured with garlic etc. Normally, wouldn't these would be served as a masalla poppadum and cooked in the tandoor (which i really detest as they seem to stick to the teeth)? I have never tried deep frying them. Can you imagine how big they would become :o
All i can say is that i have been using this method ever since i started attempting to cook BIR and there's no difference between what i put on the table and what is served by any of the restaurants or takeaways i use. I wish i could master cooking the dishes as easily as i have mastered the poppadum cooking :'( Thanks for the heads up on the TRS tasting better. Only 3 packs of Rajah to get through, then TRS it is. ;D
Hi Onion B and Phill
Curryhell and Razor are spot on with their "two at once" explanation.
I've been using this method over 35 years, the only problem for me, is that
once I get the production line going, I end up with far too many!
I was in one of my local BIR's last night, as Chef Kohninoor was cooking up a batch.(http://pop1.jpg)
(http://pop2.jpg)
(http://pop3.jpg)
He was occasionally doing four at a time, What a star!
If you still have problem's, why not try mini papads, I prefer these at home
especially the black pepper variety, just a handful in the deep fat fryer for a
few seconds and yum!
http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Gits-Mini-Plain-Papads.html (http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Gits-Mini-Plain-Papads.html)
chewy
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Agreed, tbe mini-papads are excellent. We used to be able to buy these when we went to the Yo-Han Plaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_City) (later "Oriental City", now defunct) from a small Indian grocers just down the road from the Plaza, but now that it has shut we no longer have any reason for going there (apart from the papad !), so I used TRS or Rajah Madras these days.
** Phil.
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I always try and make my own at home. We usually like 4 or 5 with a takeaway (between wife and I) and at 50p - 60p a pop (pun intended) they are terrible value. I go for the two at a time method but I use a big pair of tongs, slide them into the oil for a couple of seconds so they curl up, then flip them over for another couple of seconds so they uncurl. Then I stand them up on their side on kitchen paper for a bit, then they go in the warming oven for 20 mins to dry out. Beautiful.
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I think the warming over is important, don't you Chris ? It really makes them dry & crispy, and helps lose any residual oil. But not too warm, mind : 80C ?
** Phil.
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Hi Phil,
How exactly do you fry your popadums?
When I put mine in hot oil they curl up like those party whistles and come out (after 3 seconds) soaked in vegetable oil, left on a kitchen towel to dry out, 30 mins later they taste like vegetable oil.
Thanks
O.B
Sounds as if your oil is not sufficiently hot. I take mine up to 190C at full power, then back it off to about 85% while I fry the poppadom. I hold them down in a vertical-sided earthenware crockpot or a good deep wok using metal kitchen tongs spread wide, then after just a few seconds grab one of edges that will by then have emerged above the oil, rapidly withdraw the poppadom, and hold it above the crockpot until all the excess oil has drained off. I then stand it vertically in a wicker basket lined with kitchen paper, and repeat until the basket will hold no more. They can then be eaten fresh, or if you want them on subsequent days, warm them in a cool oven (no more than 80C) for ten to fifteen minutes. Always serve them on fresh kitchen paper in a wicker basket to allow any residual oil to leach away from the poppadom and to allow the poppadom to breath.
** Phil.
Hi All
Some really great tips in here on cooking popadums!
So are you perfectly happy with the temperatures that you suggest Phil, 190 then reduce to about 160? then cook?
Is there any other thoughts on the ideal temperature please? just want to be sure as mine are really hit and miss :( - however lots of new techniques to try now!
cheers all
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Thanks for these great tips (and pics of Chef Kohninoor) l will try these temperature, TRS and oven warming tip's out v.soon.
You just can't beat Poppadoms with mint sauce, mango chutney and an onion salad as a late night snack.
OB.
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I think the warming over is important, don't you Chris ? It really makes them dry & crispy, and helps lose any residual oil. But not too warm, mind : 80C ?
** Phil.
Yep, absolutely essential for me. Eating them fresh from the oil is okay but they will always be greasy. 20 mins at about 80 degrees C will dry them our nicely. I find them better than the takeaway too, sometimes BIR ones can be a bit stale.
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Hi Onion B,
Simply whack 'em in really hot oil (i.e just below smokling point). An inch, or so, in depth, in a frying pan, will suffice. Keep them submerged with a fork (or something similar). They should immediately (i.e within a couple of seconds or so) swell/puff up, to twice the size (test that they do this, first, with a small piece of a poppadom). Turn them (using two forks, for example) and cook them for another second or so. Remove them and place them (preferably vertically), on kitchen roll, to drain.
Either eat them immediately or keep them in a warming drawer (the oil won't drain, it will simply be absorbed into the poppadom).
As Phil says, if you're having to cook them, for more than about 4 seconds (total), then your oil isn't hot enough.
Patak and Sharwoods are very good (in my opinion)...and readily available from most supermarkets (albeit a little pricey compared to alternatives from Asian stores....which often have weavles in, I find...eeeeks) :P
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You just can't beat Poppadoms with mint sauce, mango chutney and an onion salad as a late night snack.
Try a coconut chutney too, if you can find it. :)
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Hi
I agree with CA-my method is much the same, Use a big frying pan with around 1/2-3/4 inch good quality oil(I use groundnut oil).
Heat oil till nearly smoking-dip edge of poppadom in oil and if it Fizzes its hot enough.
Put poopadum in-couple of secs it should expand, then flip-I use cheap pair of metal kitchen tongs which work a treat.
I then have ready by the pan a side plate with kitchen paper on it, onto which I put a toast rack.
I then transfer poppadum to toast rack which allows any oil to run off onto kitchen paper.
I cook a weeks supply at once and keep them in a round cake tin which keeps them nice n fresh.
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This is from the KD1 cookbook
Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan until very hot but not smoking. Take two popadoms at a time, and holding them as one, carefully slip them into the hot oil. As soon as they are immersed turn them over using tongs or two fish slices. Hold the two popadoms together as one all the time. Allow no more than two seconds and remove from the hot oil.
Drain on kitchen paper upright (like toast in a toast rack), and not flat, for the best results.
Note. In the restaurant we use a large aluminium colander for this purpose and put the fried popadoms in side by side. The colander is then placed in a hot plate, a piece of equipment rather like the bottom section of a 'hostess' trolley. The technique allows the oil to drain away efficiently and keeps the popadoms warm, dry, and crisp. Placing the cooked popadoms in a warm oven will of course be just as effective.
Popadoms may be cooked several hours in advance and warmed just before serving.
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... snip ...
I then transfer poppadum to toast rack which allows any oil to run off onto kitchen paper.
I cook a weeks supply at once and keep them in a round cake tin which keeps them nice n fresh.
Great tips!
Many thanks
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I'm off to buy a toast rack ;D.