Think chips and dip, but different. Think like tortillas and sour cream went to India and came back gluten-free and vegan! Surprise and delight at parties when you serve Indian pappadam crackers with curried cashew dip!
Crunchy pappadam crackers are made from lentil, chickpea, or rice flour, and are commonly served as bread in southern India. Pappadams as appetizers are unique, get people talking, and pair well with spicy sauces, like this fresh chile and cilantro curry. You can count on them for foodie entertainment.
This pale green curried cashew dip is a cinch to make. Plan to soak the cashews in water ahead of time–you can do that the day before and let them soak in the refrigerator. In between cooking the pappadams, sauté shallots and curry powder to puree with the cashews, fresh ginger, and serrano chile. Stir in chopped cilantro at the very end.
Spicy curried cashew dip adds gusto to grain, bean and veggie meals. You can spread it generously on thick slices of bread, or turn it into a delicious salad dressing, simply by thinning with water. Make it as picante spicy as you like–one chile brings pleasant zippy heat, two chiles make it fiery hot.
Pappadam crackers come as flat dry wafers and magically puff up and bubble when cooked. They can be fried in oil, toasted on the grill, or popped in the microwave. Each method puffs up a little differently: Crackers fried in hot oil expand the most; cooking over an open flame adds a smoky char flavor. They are done as soon as the entire disk has bubbled and puffed.
The easiest way to cook pappadams is in the microwave–in just 30 seconds they inflate from paper-thin wafer into a light and delicate ruffled snack. For a slightly more sturdy texture, brush the uncooked wafers lightly with oil before cooking in a microwave. Remember that in a microwave oven, pappadams cook very quickly!
If you don’t want to use the microwave, toast them over a stovetop flame or fry them in oil as directed on the package.
You might see the crispy chips spelled differently–puppodom or pappadum–on the package and on Indian restaurant menus. Pappadams come plain or spiced; my favorites are the black pepper speckled ones. Find them in well-stocked grocery stores—check the international sections. Or you can order pappadams online through my Amazon link.
Amaze your friends—puff pappadam and dip away. Chips and dip, but different.
Indian Pappadam Crackers with Curried Cashew Dip notes:
- Soften cashews by soaking in water so they easily blend into smooth purees. If you have a high speed blender, e.g. Blend-Tec or Vitamix, cashews only need to soak a couple of hours. If using a regular blender, it helps to soak cashews overnight, and it can take up to 3 minutes to puree into smooth and creamy.
- You might want to serve pappadams as the “bread” to go along with an Indian themed dinner. Like this curried chard and chickpea combo.
Wishing you a fabulous week–get in the kitchen and cook something delicious!
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Indian Pappadam Crackers with Curried Cashew Dip
Ingredients
- Plan on 2 or 3 pappadams per person.
For the dip:
- 1 cup raw cashews , whole or pieces (see note)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- ¾ teaspoon prepared curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1- inch knob fresh ginger root , peeled and chopped, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 or 2 serrano chiles , seeded and chopped (I used only one)
- ⅓ to 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
For the pappadams:
- Deep-fry, toast over an open flame, or microwave the flat round disks following the cooking instructions on the package.
For the curried cashew dip:
- Put cashews in a bowl, cover with water and refrigerate. Let soak 2 to 4 hours. (see note)
- Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the shallot and cook and stir until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cumin and cook another minute. Let cool.
- Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Put in a blender. Add lemon juice, salt, ginger, chile, cooled curried shallots and 1/3 cup of the water.
- Blend until very smooth, adding more water, a tablespoon at a time, as needed for a smooth puree. Stop to scrape down the sides of the container.
- Taste and add more salt if you like. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Whole cashews need to soak and soften for more time than cashew pieces.
- Microwave cooking times may vary due to different power wattages. Cook a test pappadam first, and adjust your cooking time accordingly.
- As soon as the entire disk has bubbled and puffed it’s done—any longer, it quickly burns.
