Appam

Starter

Appam is a popular breakfast in the region of Kerala. They are crispy on the edges and fluffy in the centre, commonly served with egg or chicken stew. One of my childhood favourites.

Serving size

3-4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

— 1 cup short grain rice — 1 cup grated tender coconut — 4 tbsp cooked short grain rice — ½ tsp salt — ½ tsp yeast — 1 tsp sugar — 2 tbsp coconut oil

Cooking Time

60 min

Intensity

Mild

Allergens

Yeast

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice for 4-5 hours.

2. Begin to prepare the yeast mixture by combining ¼ cup of warm water with 1 tsp of sugar, then add the yeast and mix well. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

3. In a blender, mix the soaked rice with the cup of uncooked rice and add the grated coconut.

Begin to add some water in stages, until a smooth batter forms. Ensure the batter is not too runny - it should be a slightly thick, pourable consistency.

4. Mix the yeast and batter mixture together well. 5. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight if possible - this is the fermentation process.

6. To prepare the appams, heat the coconut oil in an appam pan and begin to ladle the batter mixture into the centre of the pan.

7. Swirl the pan so that a thin coat of the batter covers the edge, forming a properly shaped appam.

8. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a medium heat until the appam turns golden brown and is cooked in the middle. Serve and enjoy.