Cooking time: about 10 seconds for each papadam

Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a karhai or shallow frying pan until it is almost smoking. Place a papadam in the ghee. In just a few seconds, it will expand and curl at the edges. Submerge it for a moment with the back of a slotted spoon to flatten it, then turn it over. The papadam should be golden-yellow. Watch it all the time and be careful not to let it brown or burn.

After a few seconds, remove it from the ghee and place it on edge in a colander to drain.

Papadams can also be cooked directly over a low flame. Hold the papadam with a pair of tongs just over the flame until the part nearest the flame begins to blister and turn a lighter color. This should take no more than a few seconds. Then, turn the papadam so that another part cooks. Repeat the turning and cooking until the entire papadam is cooked.