Appam

Appam is a traditional south indian sweet dish that is mostly made during festive days like avani avittam, Krishna Jayanthi and Karhigai to be offered as prasadam.

Though there are many instant appam recipes out there that can be made with rice or wheat flour in a kuzhipaniyaram pan, this is the traditional recipe and method of making. Take my word the other alternatives are no way close to this one. I have also made the other ones but then from recently if I make appam I just make this recipe by soaking rice and deep fry it in oil. The taste is just the best. No compromise!

Makes 8

Ingredients Required:

Raw rice - 1 cup soaked for 2 hours

Jaggery - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 tblsp

Water - 1 tblsp

Cardamon - 1 tsp

Cashews - 2 tblsp roughly chopped

Coconut pieces - 2 tblsp

Oil for deep frying

How to make?

Soak and grind the rice with minimal water to a smooth paste.

Heat the 1 tblsp water and add the jaggery. Keep stirring till it dissolves. 

Add the jaggery to the rice batter.

Add the cardamon, coconut, cashews and the ghee and mix well.

Set aside for an hour.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.

The batter should be in idly batter consistency, if too thick add a couple of tsp of water.

Take a ladle full of the batter and drop it in a swirling motion in the middle of the pan. 

Fry on medium heat, the appam will float to the top. Then flip the side and cook till golden brown.

Strain on paper towel.

Fry each appam individually in the oil.

Serve hot, but tastes well after cooling as well.

Notes:

You can use grated coconut instead of coconut pieces.

Traditional recipes have cashews, but can substitute with almonds.

Do not add water while grinding the rice as the batter will become too liquid.

If the batter becomes too liquid add some rice flour to bring it to idly batter consistency.