Kerala pappadam

Step 1: Dissolve 1 tsp papad khar (pappada karam) and ¾ tsp salt in the lukewarm ½ cup water.

Step 2: Put 7 oz gluten-free urad dal flour in a bowl and add the water gradually, pressing it into a firm dough. Rub in 1 tsp coconut oil.

Step 3: Pound the dough with a pestle or a rolling pin for 10 minutes, folding it every minute, until it is very smooth, elastic and slightly shiny. This is what makes pappadam puff into a dome.

Step 4: Roll the dough into a thin log and cut it into 30 pieces of about 10 g. Keep them under a damp cloth.

Step 5: Dust the board with 3 tbsp rice flour and roll each piece into a thin, even 9–10 cm circle. Thin edges and a thick centre puff unevenly, so keep the pressure even.

Step 6: Spread the pappadams on a cloth in a shaded, airy spot for 3–6 hours, turning once, until the surface is dry to the touch but they still bend without cracking. Common mistake: drying them hard in full sun like north Indian papad; Kerala pappadam then puffs poorly and tastes raw.

Step 7: Store in an airtight tin, dusted with a little rice flour so they don't stick, for up to 2 months.

Step 8: To serve, heat 1 ¼ cups coconut oil in a kadai over a medium-high heat until a test pappadam rises at once (about 350°F). Fry one at a time for 3–5 seconds, pressing it gently, until puffed into a blistered dome and pale gold. Drain on its edge on paper.