Udhaiyam Special Long Appalam 100g

Udhaiyam Special Long Appalam is the Tamil Nadu papad, made from urad dal flour and rolled into the longer, narrower shape the name refers to. It comes uncooked and hard, and it puffs and crisps in seconds in hot oil. Appalam is salty and plain enough to sit beside any meal without competing with it.

Best for

• Rice and sambar, or rice and rasam
• A South Indian thali or sadya
• Crumbling over curd rice

How to cook it

To fry, heat oil until a small piece sizzles immediately, slide one appalam in, and press it flat with a slotted spoon; it will puff and turn pale in three or four seconds. Lift it out before it colours, because an appalam that has gone brown has gone bitter. To roast instead, hold it over an open flame with tongs, turning constantly, until it blisters all over. Drain fried ones on paper and serve straight away, as they soften as they sit.

Pack and storage

100g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening. They are brittle, so keep the pack somewhere it will not be crushed.