Kerala appam/Palappam/Vellayappam (Makes 18-20)

Ingredients

1. Basmati rice/ any kind of long grain white rice 2 cups
2. Sweetened coconut flakes* ¾ cup
3. Cooked rice a fistful
4. Active dry yeast ½ tsp
5. Sugar 1 TBSP
6. Milk ¼ cup
7. Salt a few pinches

*Instead of sweetened coconut flakes, you can use regular grated coconut, but make sure you add about 2 tsps of sugar while grinding.

Preparation

• Wash and soak the rice for about 6 hours. Drain water and grind into a smooth batter along with coconut, cooked rice and about 1 ½ cups of water. The batter should not be too thick or thin.
• Dissolve active dry yeast in 2 TBSP warm water and add to the batter, mix well and allow to ferment for at least 10 hours covered or until tripled in volume.
• Add the sugar, milk and salt and give a gentle mix only in one direction. Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. It will be foamy on the top by now. DO NOT MIX THE BATTER from now onwards.
• Meanwhile, keep an appa chatti/pan on the flame. when it is hot, pour one ladle of the foamy batter and immediately swirl the appam chatti/pan to make appams. Do not swirl more than once as it will make the sides thick. Close with lid and let it cook for 2 minutes or until the sides are lacy and brown. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with rest of the batter.
• If the batter is not foamy after making few appams, leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes and then continue.

Notes: if you do not have an appam chatti, you can use a regular flat pan to make appams too.

Cheers!!!
Suji