Palappam

Palappam is a highly nostalgic traditional Kerala dish. It is very special to me because it is my mom's master piece. She cooks it with such perfection that it will melt in your mouth at the first bite. It is a typical breakfast dish in the home of all Christians especially during religious festivals like Christmas and Easter.

Ingredients

Raw rice ( Pachari) - 1.5 cup
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup ,heaped
Cooked Rice - 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1.5 to 3 tbsp
Yeast - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1.5 cups
Salt-  to taste

Instructions

Wash the rice well and soak it for about 4 to 5 hours.
Grind together drained raw rice, grated coconut , cooked rice and 3/4 cup water to form a smooth batter.
Next add sugar,yeast and remaining water and blend for about 30 seconds or until sugar and yeast is completely dissolved.
Transfer the batter to a large bowl.Cover and let it ferment  for about 5 to 8 hours( depending upon the temperature conditions) in a warm place , until almost doubled in volume.
After fermentation( for about 5 to 8 hours) add salt to taste.Gently stir the salt in.Cover and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.The batter will rise a bit and will be light and foamy.
Heat the appachatti over medium high flame. Rub it with some oil if you are using an iron appachatti.( Skip this step if you are using a non stick appachatti.) Gently pour a ladle full of batter into the pan.
Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter in a circle.Cover and cook for about a minute or until the edges turn golden brown.
Carefully remove the appam from the pan.Serve hot.