Appam

Appam is a popular Kerala breakfast dish that is prepared with raw rice as the main ingredient. It has lacy edges and a softer centre. It can be had with vegetable stew and vegetable kurma. But the best combination usually liked by children is spreading one teaspoon of sugar over the appam and pouring warm milk over it. The taste is just yum and your children will not stop with just one.

Another ingredient called as ‘Kappi’ should not be missed while preparing the appam. It is nothing but a semi solid paste of rice flour or semolina in water. You can replace this with cooked par-boiled brown /white rice.

Ingredients

You need

• 2 cups raw rice
• 1/4^th cup par boiled rice
• 2 tspn active dry yeast
• 1/4^th tspn salt
• 1 tbspn sugar
• 3/4^th cup grated coconut
• Water as required

For Kappi (You can use 1 cup cooked rice instead)

• 1 ½ tbspn rice flour (I use puttu podi; or use the same amount of Bombay rava)
• 1/4^th  cup water

Method

Wash and soak raw rice and par boiled rice (I have used par boiled rice to make the appam soft) for 5 to 6 hours.

Preparing the ‘Kappi’

Take the rice flour in a bowl and add 1/4^th cup water and dissolve to remove the lumps. Now cook it on a low flame till you get a semi solid consistency.

Preparing the yeast

If you have instant yeast then add it directly to the batter. If not then dissolve 1 tspn sugar in little luke warm water in a glass and add the necessary amount yeast and give a slight swirl of the glass and keep it closed for 5 to 7 minutes. You will see that yeast has dissolved and has risen slightly along with the appearance of froth. This means your yeast is of good quality, if not buy a new one.

Preparing the batter

Grind the rice along with grated coconut to a smooth batter with just enough water for grinding. If using 1 cup cooked rice than add that also along with grinding the batter.

Now add the ‘Kappi’ and give a turn of your mixer so that it will dissolve in the batter.

The final consistency of the batter should be like the dosa batter. After fermentation the batter will become again watery. So before keeping for fermentation let the batter be slightly thick than the dosa batter. If the batter is too thin or too thick then your Appam will not come out right.

Now transfer the batter to a container which has enough space to hold the batter once it has risen. Add the remaining sugar to the batter and dissolve. Add the yeast mixture to the batter and mix well. Keep it closed overnight. If you are staying in colder places then it will take longer time to ferment.

The next day once the batter has fermented you will see the appearance of small bubbles in the batter and the batter has risen.

Add salt and mix well. Remember the final consistency of the batter should be of dosa batter consistency. So if you have to add water you may do it now. Mix well and again keep it closed for 1 to 2 hours and then start preparing the appam.

Preparing the Appam

I have used appa chatty for the preparation of Appam. But you can even use a tawa with central depression (‘Cheena chatty’ in Malayalam). If using cheena chatty then you should have a lid for it as well as handles to swirl it while preparing the appam.

Heat the appa chatty on a medium flame. Grease some oil on to the chatty once it is hot. Hereafter use low flame. Pour one ladle full of batter (You need not have to mix the batter before pouring just dip the ladle in the batter till the bottom of the container and lift it and pour it on to the chatty). Immediately swirl the chatty gently and spread the batter all around the chatty by holding on to the handles of the chatty.

Now keep the chatty back on to the stove and close it with a lid and cook the appam for 1 to 2 minutes. Once done you will see that the appam has lacy edges and a soft centre.

Gently remove the appam from the chatty either using a spatula or in most of the cases it will just fall off from the chatty when you tilt it.

Repeat the process with rest of the batter.

Once you reach about less than half of the batter then very gently mix the batter and then start taking the appam.

Your Appam is ready to be served.

Tips

If you do not want to have the lacy edges then do not swirl the chatty. Just pour a small spoon of oil and pour the batter into the chatty. Once you pour the batter you will see small holes being formed. Close it with a lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate when done.