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Appam or Palappam
Binjal Pandya

Appam or Palappam

Indulge in the ultimate breakfast experience with Kerala's beloved Appam also known as a Palappam, a lacy thin pancake that's both delicate and deeply satisfying. Made with a fermented batter of raw rice and coconut, each delicate appam is a masterpiece of culinary artistry, cooked to perfection on a traditional appam kadai.
Served piping hot, these delightful pancakes pair beautifully with a rich vegetable stew or kadala curry, allowing the flavors to mingle in a harmonious dance. Alternatively, savor the simplicity of sweet coconut milk drizzled over the appam for a truly authentic taste of Kerala and Sri Lanka's culinary heritage.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 10 -12
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Raw Rice or Idli Rice
  • ½ cup Cooked/Leftover Rice
  • ½ cup Chopped Fresh Coconut
  • ¼ cup Warm Water/Plain Milk
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Active/Instant Yeast
  • 1 cup Coconut Water/Plain Water

Method
 

  1. Wash, drain and soak rice in enough water for at least 4-5 hours.
  2. In a small bowl, add warm water, dissolve sugar and yeast, and let it aside for 10 mins.
  3. In a blender, add the soaked rice, cooked rice, chopped coconut, yeast mixture, and salt.
  4. Blend to make a smooth batter, then pour the batter into a mixing bowl.
  5. Add coconut water, mix it well to make a runny but thick batter, adding more water if needed.
  6. Cover and let it aside in a warm place to ferment for at least an hour.
  7. Once the batter has fermented and become foamy and light, mix it again.
  8. Heat a non-stick kadhai or appam pan, pour a ladle of the batter into the pan, then tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter spreads all over the inside of the pan.
  9. Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 mins or until the edges become golden. Use a spatula to remove the appam from the pan.
  10. Use the same steps to make more appams from the remaining batter.
  11. The appams are ready! Serve with vegetable stew or fresh coconut milk and enjoy.

Notes

  • You can use any variety of short-grain rice to make the batter.
  • If you don't have cooked rice, you can use soaked poha instead.
  • For a richer taste, you can use plain warm milk to soak the yeast instead of water.
  • Skip the sugar if you don't like a sweet taste.