Indian cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Paal Appam

Kerala rice pancakes with a thick, soft center and a paper-thin, lacy crisp rim.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g round-grain rice
• 2 tbsp rice flakes (poha, thick variety)
• 1 boiled potato
• 3 g yeast (dried)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 300 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Wash the round-grain rice and soak in cold water for 5 hrs., soak the poha for only 10 min. before blending, then drain both.
2. Blend the rice, poha, the peeled boiled potato and 200 ml water in a blender to a very fine, silky batter with no grains left between your fingers.
3. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in 50 ml lukewarm water, let stand foamy for 10 min., stir into the batter and let it rise covered in a warm spot for 6-8 hrs.
4. Stir the risen batter with the coconut milk, the remaining sugar and 1 tsp salt to a thin, pourable consistency - it should run off the ladle like cream.
5. Brush a deep appam pan or a small wok with coconut oil, heat it up strongly, pour in a ladle of batter and immediately swirl the pan in a circle so the rim runs up thin and the center stays thick.
6. Bake covered for 2-3 min. until the rim is golden-brown and crisp and the center is spongy and set, gently lift out and serve hot with coconut milk or stew.