simple stack...

...of poppadams (or should that be papadam, poppadom, papad or appalam).
Anyway spellings aside, a yummy little crunchy stack with a kasundi (tomato pickle) topping.


A go to book for food origins doesn't even mention the humble poppadum! and the Cookbook of the British Raj is very meagre on history but I did find this little gem of information from the website of an Indian restaurant in Canada.

'One of the most interesting aspects of this dish, however, is the role that it has played in women’s empowerment movements in India. In fact, Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, or simply Lijjat for short, is an Indian worker’s cooperative made up exclusively of women. It was founded in 1959 by seven women from present-day Mumbai with the mission of creating a sustainable livelihood for themselves using the cooking skills they had been taught. Within three months there were 25 women, who produced papads by hand. As word of their products spread, the cooperative grew and expanded. Today, Lijjat employs over 42,000 people across 81 branches, and they still produce papadum the old-fashioned way—by hand. The Lijjat is a truly remarkable initiative that has provided opportunities to generations of women in India, and it all started with this flatbread.'