Aappam or Vellappam

Aappam or hoppers is  a type of food from  South India especially a delicious dish that is very popular all over Kerala. This is served with stew, mutton or chicken curry or even with coconut milk.

Infact  the original appam is made with the mail ingredient  with "kall" (in Malayalam) means  toddy, which is used for fermentation. Since fresh toddy is difficult to get in many places, it has been substituted with  yeast.
Here is the way I make my Aappam at my place:

 

Preparation Time : 15 minutes +Soaking and Fermenting time : 8 hrs

Ingredients : 

Raw Rice  : 1 cup
Fresh coconut – ½ of the grated coconut
Salt : a pinch  *
Yeast : 1 tsp
Cooked rice : just about 3 tbsp
Luke warm water : 3 tsp **
Sugar : 1 tsp                                                                                                                                           Baking Soda : ½ tsp Add next day when you add the salt (Optional)

* If you add the salt and then try to ferment, it will not  happen. Hence add salt before you make the Aappam,

* *Do not  add the yeast  to the hot water as it will not (behave the way we want  ha ha!!) rather act with the batter and fermentation will not take place.  This step is very important. Without the fermentation just not worth making the Aappam,  a very important point to keep in your mind.

Method : 

Lets make the batter : 

1. Soak the raw rice in water for at least 4-5 hrs.  After that wash and clean it and get ready to grind.

2. Add sugar and yeast to the luke warm water and let it sit for 15 minutes so that the froth would have formed.

3.  Grind the rice and coconut with little water to a fine paste. The consistency is little more watery than the idli batter and  not watery like the dosa batter too.

4.Transfer the grounded coconut rice paste to big bowl. Add yeast mixture and  combine well. Let this relax and  sit in a warm place for the fermentation process 6 – 8 hours, totally depending on the room temperature. The batter will double the size after the fermentation.

5. Don’t forget to add the salt before you make the Aapams

6. Ensure the salt and sugar is upto your level of taste. If you want it crisy can add the baking soda at this stage here.

Now lets make the  Aappam:

1. Heat non stick Aappachatty on a medium flame. ***

2. Pour one ladleful of appam batter to the Aappachatty.

3. Lift the pan from the stove and slightly twist around to spread the batter in the pan to make circular shape. You need to swirl it only once for a thin lace on the edges.

4. Close it with a lid and cook on low heat till the edges are golden brown. When the appam is ready the edges resemble crisp lace and centre soft. It will take around 2-3 mins at low flame.

5. Serve it with  any curry you wish. I have served this with mutton curryJ. Yummy and mouthwatering combi.

*** Heat should not be too much in the Aappachatty as it will be difficult to twist the  batter in the pan.

Enjoy and relish this lacy Aappam J

Latha