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Appam

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Raw rice (sona masoori)280 g
  • Frozen grated coconut80 g
  • Sugar3 tsp
  • Instant dry yeast¾ tsp
  • Salt1 tsp

You need

  • Mixer-grinder with small and large jars
  • Sieve or colander
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Appachatti (appam pan) with lid
  • Ladle and flat spatula (dosa turner)
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method

  1. Ahead (the morning before): rinse 280 g raw rice in a sieve 3 times and soak it in plenty of water for 5–6 hours.
  2. Ahead (the evening before): stir ¾ tsp yeast and 3 tsp sugar into 60 ml lukewarm water (finger-warm, not hot). Leave 10 minutes, until it turns foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is dead; start again with fresh yeast.
  3. Ahead: drain the rice. Grind it in the large mixer jar with 80 g thawed grated coconut and 360 ml (about 1½ cups) water, in 30-second bursts, for 3–4 minutes. Stop when it is completely smooth, like thick pouring cream, with no grit when you rub a drop between your fingers.
  4. The night before: pour the batter into a large mixing bowl (no more than half full) and stir in the foamy yeast. Do not add salt yet, it slows the yeast. Cover loosely and leave in a warm spot for 8–10 hours. In an Australian winter, put it in the oven with only the light on (oven off).
  5. Morning: the batter is ready when it has doubled, is full of bubbles and smells sweet and yeasty. Gently stir in 1 tsp salt. It should be thinner than dosa batter, like pouring cream. Add a splash of water if it is thick. If you are not cooking within the hour, keep it in the fridge.
  6. Heat the appachatti on medium heat for 2 minutes. Wipe the inside with a few drops of oil on a paper towel.
  7. Pour one ladle of batter into the centre. Straight away, hold both handles and swirl the pan in one full circle so the batter climbs the sides in a thin layer and the centre stays thick. Put it back on the heat and cover.
  8. Cook covered on medium heat for 2 minutes, until the edges are crisp, lacy and golden and the soft centre looks spongy with no wet shine. Lift it out with a spatula; do not flip. Repeat with the rest of the batter, wiping the pan with oil every 2–3 appams.

Tips

  • Leftover batter keeps 2 days in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking.

Make it easier

  • The night before: Soak and grind appam batter so it ferments overnight.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

  • Asthma: buy frozen grated coconut without sulphites (220–228).