Appam-Traditional Style

There are lot many procedures for making appam. I already posted a recipe during initial days of my blog which is VELLAYAPPAM. If you are new in making appam please follow that link. The recipe i shared here is bit difficult for first time as it includes the process off KAPPIKACHAL which is a malayalam word. But trust me you can do it. Sharing my mom's recipe here...

Ingredients:

Raw rice	3 cup
Grated Coconut	1&1/2 cup
Urad dal	2 tbl spoon
Coconut water/water	as needed to grind
Salt	to taste
Sugar	3 tspoon

Preparation:

(1) Soak raw rice and urad dal separately in water for about one hour. 

(2) Grind urad dal in a mixer and make a paste. To this add grated coconut and make a fine paste. You can use coconut water for grinding. Keep it aside.

(3) Drain the water from rice and grind it in a grinder by adding coconut water/water little by little. Switch off the grinder when rice is on 3/4th stage. It will be done in less than 5 minutes. Take 1/4 cup of this batter (rough mixture with grainy texture) in a bowl and keep it aside.

(4) Continue grinding the rest of rice by adding ground paste. Make a fine batter. Add coconut water/water if needed.

 (5) When it is completely done switch off the grinder. Take 1/4 cup of this batter and add it to the rough mixture in bowl which we already kept aside. Also clean the grinder by taking rest of batter and store it in a vessel/container. Keep it aside.

 Next process is  KAPPI KACHAL: 

(1) Take a pan and add 1/2 cup of batter(rough batter+grinned batter) to it. To this add 2 cups of water and mix well. 

(2) Keep the pan on a stove and stir it continuously in low flame. Stir till it get thickens, that is the mixture should be bit thick and gelatinous. If you miss this stage appam will not turn soft.

(3) Allow it to cool completely and add this to rice batter. Make sure to mix well. Add sugar, salt and baking soda. Mix well by adding enough coconut water to make the batter loose. Allow it to ferment for 8 hours by keeping it covered. Best is over night.

Next process is making APPAM:

(1) After fermentation the quantity may have slightly increased and looks bubbly. Add coconut milk/coconut water to make the consistency of batter loose and easily pourable. It should be little more watery than dosa batter. 

(2) Heat appam kadai which will have a rounded base. Pour 2 laddle of batter to the centre of kadai. Twirl it once or twice using hand and make round shapes. Don't twirl more than twice. The centre will be thick. Close the kadai with a lid and cook for 1 to 2 minute. You will notice the edges leaving apart and centre looking soft. If the centre looks uncooked cover with the lid and cook again. Once it is cooked replace it to a plate. Don't flip it. Your appam is now ready.

Have appam with channa masala/egg roast/sweetened coconut milk or with your favorite curry…

Tips and variations:

• If appam batter is thick you cannot swirl it easily.
• You can add coconut milk to make the batter loose which will enhance the taste.
• If you are using an iron appam kadai grease the kadai with oil.
• If you don't have an appam kadai, do it in a dosa tawa. Spread batter like dosa and close tawa with a lid to cook. Except the perfect shape you will get tasty appam.
• Always cover appam with a lid while cooking.
• Adding too much of baking soda makes appam to stick on tawa. You can replace soda with yeast.
• The secret of softness depends on KAPPIKACHAL