Year Two Day One Hundred and Forty Seven - Pappadums and Sticky Rice

Dear all,

Today, I attempted something that I had observed mutter doing on many occasions but was yet to try myself: making Pappadums. I picked up a packet of the well known brand pataks: http://www.pataks.ca/products_pappadums.asp

The Pappadums came in a very unassuming looking package - looking pure and almost serene, unaware of what was about to occur. I read (in the instructions -it seemed like something I couldn't improvise) that I needed to heat 2/4cm of oil in a pan... hmmmmm I thought - do we have that much oil? 

So, I poured all the olive oil we had into the pan and turned it up to high. The instructions said I would know when the oil was hot enough by testing it with a 'small piece of pappadum'. hmmmm. Again, this method seemed fraught with problems. 

I eventually threw in a small piece of the thin uncooked pappadum and it shrivelled up into nothing in less than a nano second. This was alarming... but I pushed on. 

After 5 or 6 disasters, burnt pappadums and what seemed like a hot oil fire ball attack, I managed to get a stack of pappadums for our dinner ( waaaaaaay more than we needed, of course). The cooking process was so fast and furious, I had little time to take photos, so apologies for the lack of complimentary pictures!

And in other news:

1. Quick tip for cooking sticky rice (that works!)

 - pour rice into a bowl and add water. 

-swish the rice around multiple times until the water becomes cloudy

-pour the cloudy water out and fill with more water and repeat. 

-keep pouring and swishing until the water becomes clear

*optional step - leave to soak for one hour. 

-Add to a sauce pan with the equivalent amount of water to the dry rice and bring to just about a boil

-turn down heat and leave, covered, for about 15 minutes ( or until the rice is ready *this will be obvious*). Perfect rice ahoy!