Papadam Recipe

1. Preheat

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place the 2 papadams flat on the sheet with a little space between them so air can circulate.

3. Lightly brush the top side of each papadam with a thin coat of oil (about 0.5 tsp per papadam; total 1 tsp). Spread evenly with a pastry brush or the back of a spoon—just enough to help browning and make spices stick.

4. Bake on the middle rack 3–6 minutes, watching closely. Papadams puff and crisp quickly; they are done when fully puffed and edges just begin to turn light golden. Baking time varies by thickness and oven; avoid browning too dark.

5. Carefully remove the sheet from the oven and transfer each papadam to a wire rack immediately so they cool and remain crisp. Work quickly while they are warm for the next step.

6. While the papadams bake, prepare the seasoning: combine ground black pepper, toasted crushed cumin seeds, red chili flakes, and fine sea salt in a small bowl and mix evenly.

7. When the papadams are still warm on the wire rack, sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the oiled side of each papadam. The residual oil and heat help the spices adhere.

8. Scatter the chopped cilantro across the two papadams, then drizzle or squeeze about 0.5 tsp lemon juice onto each (total 1 tsp), adjusting to taste.

9. Let the papadams cool 1–2 minutes on the wire rack so they finish crisping. Serve immediately — two pieces per serving. Optionally accompany with chutney or yogurt dip.