Appam and stew is a staple food in Kerala eaten mostly as breakfast. The recipe is very healthy and favorite dish with its rich coconut spiced curry with loads of vegetables and paired with rice and coconut based pancakes that are involve in the preparation.
Ingredients for the Appam
- 2 cups (500 ml) Idly rice
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 cup cooked rice
- 1/2 cup fresh coconut
- 2 cups water for grinding
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions for the preparation of the Appam
- Wash the rice well for 2-3 times in running water. Then soak the rice and fenugreek seeds in water for two hours.
- Drain the water from the rice and grind all the ingredients in the blender together to make a smooth fine paste. We soaked 2 cups of rice. So while grinding, you can use up-to 2 cups of water.
- Cover the batter bowl with a lid and leave it in a warm place and leave it untouched for at least 8-10 hours. After the rest, the batter would have doubled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and use when required.
- Transfer some of the batter to a separate bowl and add a tablespoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Stir to mix well to combine.
- Heat appam kadai or appa chatti until hot. Ladle some batter into the kadai in the middle. Slowly rotate the pan to make the batter adhere to all over the sides of the pan. Use your hands to rotate in a circular motion and guide the batter to stick to all over the sides.
- Cover with a lid and let it cook for 40-50 seconds. Appam cooks only on one side. Appam is done when the sides are brown. Remove the appam slowly with the help of a spatula.
Preparation of the Vegetable stew
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 clove
- 2 cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 3 green chillies
- 2 tablespoon white poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 cup potatoes
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 inch piece ginger, julienne
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 whole coconut – pressed for fresh coconut milk
Instructions
- Grind the spices with a little water and keep aside.
- Boil the vegetables (Potato, carrots and peas) until firm and keep aside.
- Take out the coconut meat from the coconut and run it in a blender while you add a cup of water.
- Strain the milk. This is what we call as the first milk or thick milk.
- Blend the coconut again and strain the milk after adding a cup of water and keep aside. This time, the milk will be lighter.
- Heat the oil in a saute pan.
- Add in 2 sprigs of curry leaves and let it spew.
- Add in the julienne ginger.
- Add in the chopped onions and salt.
- Saute till it becomes soft.
- Add in the ground masala paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the second pressed coconut milk and boiled vegetables and let it simmer until beginning to boil.
- Take a small cup and add a tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Add a half cup of water to it and make slurry.
- Add the slurry to the gravy and let to simmer for a minute.
- Add in the first pressed coconut milk and reduce the flame to low.
- After it simmers for 30 seconds, the stew is ready and can be served with the cooked Appam.
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