Aappam - 2 (ஆப்பம் )

This is my mom's recipe. She does not add aval or coconut milk but just makes delicious aappams with the very basic ingredients!! I used to gulp 10 or so in one sitting. She will serve it with freshly made sweetened coconut milk from coconuts plucked from our backyard! We used to have a small plate of pickles by the side to taste in between.. the pickles will wake up the taste buds and the next bite of appam dipped in sweet milk will taste heavenly. Oh the good old days!!

Well here is the ratio:

Idly Rice (Parboiled) - 1 measure

Raw Rice - 1 measure

Urad Dhal - 1/4 measure

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

• Soak all of the above in about 3 cups of water for atleast 4 to 6 hours. 
• Then grind them into a thin fine batter for about 40 mins. 
• The batter must be watery. 
• Add salt and allow the batter to ferment overnight (or about 12 hrs min). 
• Just before making aapams, add a pinch of baking soda (optional) and 1 tbsp of sugar (optional again) to the batter and mix it gently.
• Test the consistency of the batter and add more water if needed.
• Do not over mix the batter- that will make the aerated batter lose the trapped air.
• To avoid that, it is better to adjust the batter consistency before it ferments
• The batter must be runny.. enough to coat the tava with a thin layer.
• Now heat the aapam tava preferably non-stick
• Since I have electric coils and no gas stove, I recently tried with the 8 inch omellette pan. It works wonders!
• Pour the batter and swirl the pan in circular motion so the batter coats the sides of the pan and 
• the excess batter runs down to the center forming a porous spongy center with semi crispy lacy edges
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium flame for another min or until the aapam sides peel off the pan
• The steam/water that drips from the lid will add enough moisture to the center to make it spongy
• You need not turn the aapam
• Just transfer the aapam to a dish and repeat the procedure for subsequent aapams
• Serve the aapams hot with Sweetened Coconut milk (milk + sugar) or Vegetable Kuruma