Appam, an equivalent of Manna, is the favorite food of the South Indian State Kerala, which has been traditionally called ‘God’s own country’. It is a simple nutritious food. It is easily digested and is eaten by all-from toddlers to tottering old people.

Ingredients needed

1) Raw rice               -1 kilo

2) Cooked rice         – 4 table spoon

3) Dry yeast             - 1 table spoon

4) Rava (sooji)         - 2 table spoon

5) Sugar                   - 2 table spoon

6) Coconut               - 1

7) Salt, water and oil as per need

Method of preparation

1) Soak rice in water for two or three hours

2) Grind the rice along with the coconut scraping and cooked rice to a fine thick batter. Coconut water also can be added while grinding.

3) When the batter is ready, add the yeast and cooked rava (porridge level) and mix well.

4) Add salt and sugar as per your taste and mix well.

5) Keep it separate to ferment at room temperature for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).

6) Heat the appam pan (pan with deep bottom).

7) Apply oil with an oiled cloth.

Pour the appam batter with a thick spoon and spread it like a pan cake thick in the center and thin on sides. Lift the pan and swirl the batter so that it comes thick in center and thin on sides.  

9) Cover it with a lid and wait for a minute or two.

10) If you lift the lid you can see the outer circle formed like a lace and the center thick and spongy.

11) Now gently remove the appam from the pan.

12) Serve hot with coconut milk or your favorite stew.

Some Tips

1) Readymade appam batter is available in Indian stores.

2) You can adjust the consistency of the batter thick or thin by adding coconut milk or rava.

3) A good appam is spongy and soft in the center and crispy, frilly and lacy all around.

4) You need not turn the appam over and cook both sides. Single side is tastier.