Appam Recipe (without yeast)

Appam recipe / Aapam recipe/ Tamilnadu style appam recipe / How to make aapam? / Appam Paya / Kerala Appam Recipe / Appam without yeast recipe / Cooking soda Appam recipe / Kerala rice pancake recipe / Appam Batter recipe / Thengai Paal Appam / ஆப்பம் /  ஆப்பம் தேங்காய் பால் / Kallappam / Palappam

Appam / Aapam with thengai paal or coconut stew is one heavenly combo, a beautiful breakfast recipe originating from the Southern India, a very common & popular food in Tamil Nadu & Kerala.  These white lacy style pancakes have a golden crispy side with soft spongy center.  Amma makes appam once in a while and we enjoy this with plain thengai paal sakkarai or if its a non-veg day then it has to be with aatu kal paaya. Both my mom and mil follow there own techniques….my MIL always follow the traditional method where she adds kallu (toddy) (a drink that is very famous in most south indian villages which is considered something similar to beer) to ferment appam batter, which yields beautiful fluffy appam with golden crispy layers on the sides. She uses a deep Iron pan/ kadai, we call it appa chatti in tamil which yields beautiful appams with golden sides… like my son Sid would call them sunshines!  Amma makes regular fermented batter and adds coconut milk & plain cooking soda to fluff up. Both taste super yummy and here is a simple recipe which I follow to yield decent aapams……

There are so many ways and techniques to yield good appam… in my method i use the rice, lentil, fennugreek & salt, grind and ferment. Then when ready to make appam, add thick and thin coconut milk along with some cooking soda. This way the batter stays good in refrigerator for 4-5 days. Alternately if you plan to finish the entire batch the next day then grind with 1/2 cup grated coconut and then ferment.

Wash and soak both raw & idli rice along with urad dal and methi seeds. Soak for about 4- 5 hours.

Drain all the water and grind them all in a mixer adding water little by little. The batter may require about  3/4 to 1 cup of water (this is approximate) for the grinding process. I just used my Preethi mixie jar for this as we usually make a small quantity. You may use a stone grinder if you wish. The consistency of the batter should not be too thick nor too thin.  Add water as needed. (For variations : you may add 1/2 cup grated coconut along with the batter if you plan to finish it all the next day) Now transfer the ground batter to a wide bowl and mix with salt, cover and allow it to ferment overnight.

Benefit of adding Toddy / Kallu – This is fermented drink made by combining coconut water+yeast+ sugar. This has got the super effect for fermenting process and also gives a unique taste to the appams. Traditional appam batter are fermented using this drink but  😉 well I’m not an expert in this, so lets follow the easy method. Adding coconut water or fresh coconut while grinding the batter also gives equal effect.

Once the batter doubles in size the next morning, give a quick stir. Add thick coconut milk, cooking soda and thin coconut milk. The batter consistency should be slightly thin compared to idli dosa batter. (Add thin coconut milk little by little or as needed to bring it to the right consistency) Once you add the cooking soda the batter will look airy and bubbly as shown.

Heat  a non stick appam kadai / iron appam chatti, grease it with little oil (non stick pan doesn’t need any greasing). Scoop a laddle full of batter and pour in the center of the pan. Lift the pan using the handles on both sides and give a gentle twirl to spread out the batter in a circular shape. Once done swirling, return the pan to the flame, some batter will settle in the center of the pan, that’s perfectly normal! Now cover with lid and cook for about 2 minutes over low medium flame. Once cooked the appam will start to leave the sides of the pan, the edges will turn golden brown with soft spongy center. Gently lift the appam from  the pan using a flat spatula. Repeat to prepare more appams with rest of the batter. Serve them hot with sweetened coconut milk, vegetable stew or Aatu kal paya.

Notes:

• Yields about 10-12 appams approx
• If grinding the batter with fresh coconut then it can stay good for a day if refrigerated.
• Batter before adding cooking soda and coconut milk can stay good for 4 days in the refrigerator.
• Appam doesn’t need any flipping to cook on other side. Just cover & cook.
• Sugar is optional and can be added at the time of preparing the appam. Its mainly for adding little sweetness to the batter and get golden color sides.
• If adding toddy / Kallu then add about 1/4 cup to the batter.
• To make sweetened coconut milk, add about 2 tablespoon of sugar to 1 cup of coconut milk and mix.
• You may add 2 tablespoon cooked rice / pre-soaked poha while grinding the batter for spongy appams.
• Cooking soda can be replaced with ENO salt.
• Use kallu uppu or Kosher salt for fermenting.
• Allow the batter to ferment by keeping it in a warm place for about 6-8 hours.
• Do not keep the batter for along time after adding coconut milk and soda, try to finish the batter soon making appams.
• For variations- crack an egg in the center of the batter while cooking to make egg appams. Stuff the center batter with kheema or dry chicken curry.

Lets enjoy breakfast!