Appams (Rice Hoppers)

“Appam” as it is called in Tamil is a breakfast delicacy which is very popular in South India and Sri Lanka. Hopper is the anglicized version of the name. The “Appam”is basically a fermented bowl shaped rice flour pancake with a soft, spongy, fluffy centre and a thin crispy, lace like network of fine bubbles towards the circumference. Fresh coconut milk is drizzled on to the soft spongy centre that is perfect for soaking up spicy curries. It is the blend of the two textures and taste that makes it unique and perfect for a morning breakfast or dinner meal. It becomes more enjoyable to eat with the condiments it is served with such as sambal, stews, spicy curries and chutneys. Or if you have a sweet tooth you should try it with coconut milk and sweetened freshly grated coconut. I tried it with coconut milk and maple syrup and just loved it.

How are the Appams (rice hoppers) made?
They are made with a fermented rice flour batter to which coconut milk or grated coconut is added when the soaked rice is ground. To make the fermented batter the rice is soaked with just a little urad dal for up to 4 hours or overnight and then ground to a fine batter with some cooked rice and grated coconut. You could use the Vita-mix blender as it saves your time and does an excellent job. This is the easy way of preparing the batter. If you do not have cooked rice there is another method of preparing it. For this, one or two tbs of ground batter is cooked in boiling water by stirring continuously till a smooth sticky paste is formed. When it cools down it is mixed with the batter which is then left to ferment overnight or for 8 – 10 hours or more till the batter looks frothy and bubbly the next day and doubled in volume.

Appam recipe variations:
There are different methods of making Appams and many variations of the Appam recipe. Cooked rice and flour batter paste are the traditional methods used for fermenting the batter. Some people also use yeast which I do not approve as it not only gives the yeasty taste and smell to it but also makes them too soft and non crispy . Even the rice you use determines the texture of the Appam. Using idli rice gives it a very soft texture than normal white rice. And brown rice Appams have a very coarse texture. Sticky or glutinous rice is not favourable for making Appams. I love using Basmati rice for the taste as well as texture. Long grain plain white rice also works very well.

What cooking utensil do I need to make them?
The hoppers have to be made in a special pan or cast iron wok called the “Appachatti” or “Appam Satti” and they take the shape of the wok they are cooked in, which is why they look like a bowl. A well seasoned “Appachatti” is required for best results.

What to do if the batter does not ferment due to cold climatic conditions? 
1. Place it in the oven: Here in Canada, in winter I place the batter in the oven (preheated at 170ºF but switched 0ff after it has reached that temperature) and leave it overnight with the oven light on. The next morning I find it bubbly and increased in volume.
2. Place it in the instant pot: You could pour the batter in the inner steel container of the instant pot and close the lid, leave the valve in venting position and set it to yogurt mode on low setting for 8-9 hrs. Sometimes it might take longer depending on the climate and the location you live in.

Using Eno Salts for Instant Appams: Yes I use Eno salts when the batter has not fermented and it works. Sometimes I forget to grind the soaked rice and the next day morning I quickly grind it in the Vita-mix and leave the batter to just rest for half an hour. Then I add Eno salts – about 1/4 tsp to a bowl of batter or 1 cup, stir it till it foams and immediately use it to make the Appams.

Here’s the recipe!
Ingredients:
2 cups of basmati or regular (non glutinous) long grain rice.
1 tsp peeled urad dal/black gram lentils
1/2 cup grated coconut optional
2 tbs cooked white rice
1 cup chilled water
1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
coconut milk for drizzling on the Appams
Eno or baking soda – a pinch

Instructions:
1. Add the urad dal to the rice. Wash and rinse the rice 3 or four times until the water runs clear. Leave it to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Grind the soaked rice with the urad dal, grated coconut, cooked rice and chilled water in a Vita-mix blender or a hardy grinder to a thick but flowing consistency by pausing at intervals taking care not to heat up the appliance. This is a much easier way of preparing the batter.
3. Alternatively if you do not have cooked rice, another method is to boil 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan. Take 2 tbs rice batter and add it to the pan while stirring it continuously till it thickens and turns into a gluey paste. Remove immediately and let it cool. Then mix in the cooled gluey rice paste with the rice batter well so there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
4. Leave it to ferment overnight in a warm cozy place on your counter top or you could place it in the oven (preheated at 170ºF and switched off) and leave it overnight but with the oven light on.
5. In the morning you are supposed to find a bubbly fermented batter which should have doubled in volume.
6. If it has not fermented and risen in volume leave it for a couple of hours more.

How to make the Appams:
1. Take an Appam pan or a cast iron or ceramic wok and place it on a gas flame on high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water to check if it is really hot. The water drops should disappear immediately and it should fume.
Now brush the wok with vegetable/canola oil. The wok should be just oily without any extra oil remaining. Turn down the heat.
2. Take a cup of the batter in a bowl, add salt and a pinch of baking soda/Eno to it, stir it well and start making the Appams right away. Pour a small ladle full of batter in the hot fuming wok. Lift the wok and swirl it around so the batter spreads and forms a round bowl shaped pan cake with a lacy rim.
Immediately close the wok with a lid and turn up to high flame. Give it 2-3 minutes to cook. Open the lid and check to see if the centre of the Appam is cooked. Then sprinkle a little oil with a brush at the sides and rim of the Appam.
3. When the Appam turns crisp with a brown lacy rim, slide in a flat silicon spatula and lift the appam gently from the centre without breaking the lacy rim. Drizzle some coconut milk in the centre of the Appams.

4. The spongy Appam centre soaks up the coconut milk and becomes soft and moist and is ready to enjoy with chutneys and curries of your choice. You could also break an egg after swirling and spreading the Appam and follow the rest of the steps. The egg gets cooked with the appam and is so yummy.
5. You could also add different fillings to the Appams such as cooked ground lamb/beef/chicken & top with cheese etc.
6. Make sweet Appams by adding fresh coconut flakes with brown sugar or any other sweet filling.

Recipe Notes:
1. You could either use grated coconut or just add some coconut milk to the ground batter. The Appams get the sweetness from the coconut and taste delicious. But it is your choice to use coconut or not. You can also make plain Appams without using coconut.
2. Adding too much Eno or Baking Soda makes the Appams yellow and centre of the Appam does not bubble up and becomes flat.
3. Do not add salt or baking soda to the entire rice batter. Add it only when you are ready to make Appams using one cup of batter at a time as given in the instructions above.
4. You can store the batter after it has fermented in the fridge for up to a week. After that it starts turning sour.
5. Either ENO or Baking Soda should be used not both.
6. The Wok should be really hot, otherwise the batter will not stick to the wok and spread to form an Appam.
7. Using a glass lid to cover the Appam Wok helps to see the Appams browning.
8. Use the Instant Pot for fermenting the batter.

Appams (Rice Hoppers)Appams (Rice Hoppers)

Recipe

Appams (Rice Hoppers)

Author: Fouzia

Appam, a delicacy in South India, is a fermented rice flour pancake with a soft, spongy, fluffy centre and a crispy golden lacy rim and is so delicious. Fresh coconut milk is drizzled on to the soft spongy centre that is perfect for soaking in spicy curries. It is the blend of the two textures and taste that makes it unique and perfect for a morning breakfast or dinner meal. 2 cups of basmati or regular (non glutinous) long grain rice.

Course Brunch, Dinner, Eating healthy, gluten free

Cuisine Indian Cooking, South indian Cuisine

Equipment

• Instant Pot to ferment the batter
• Small cast iron wok

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups of basmati or regular non glutinous long grain rice.
• 1 tsp peeled urad dal/black gram lentils
• 1/2 cup grated coconut optional
• 2 tbs cooked white rice
• 1 cup chilled water
• 1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk for drizzling on the Appams
• Eno or baking soda - a pinch

Instructions

 

• Add the urad dal to the rice. Wash and rinse the rice 3 or four times until the water runs clear. Leave it to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Grind the soaked rice with the urad dal, grated coconut, cooked rice and chilled water in a Vita-mix blender or a hardy grinder to a thick but flowing consistency by pausing at intervals taking care not to heat up the appliance. This is a much easier way of preparing the batter.
• Alternatively if you do not have cooked rice, another method is to boil 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan. Take 2 tbs rice batter and add it to the pan while stirring it continuously till it thickens and turns into a gluey paste. Remove immediately and let it cool. Then mix in the cooled gluey rice paste with the rice batter well so there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
• Leave it to ferment overnight in a warm cozy place on your counter top or you could place it in the oven (preheated at 170ºF and switched off) and leave it overnight but with the oven light on.
• In the morning you are supposed to find a bubbly fermented batter which should have doubled in volume.
• If it has not fermented and risen in volume leave it for a couple of hours more.
• How to make the Appams:
• Take an Appam pan or a cast iron or ceramic wok and place it on a gas flame on high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water to check if it is really hot. The water drops should disappear immediately and it should fume.
• Now brush the wok with vegetable/canola oil. The wok should be just oily without any extra oil remaining. Turn down the heat.
• Take a cup of the batter in a bowl, add salt and a pinch of baking soda/Eno to it, stir it well and start making the Appams right away. Pour a small ladle full of batter in the hot fuming wok. Lift the wok and swirl it around so the batter spreads and forms a round bowl shaped pan cake with a lacy rim.
• Immediately close the wok with a lid and turn up to high flame. Give it 2-3 minutes to cook. Open the lid and check to see if the centre of the Appam is cooked. Then sprinkle a little oil with a brush at the sides and rim of the Appam.
• When the Appam turns crisp with a brown lacy rim, slide in a flat silicon spatula and lift the appam gently from the centre without breaking the lacy rim. Drizzle some coconut milk in the centre of the Appams.
• The spongy Appam centre soaks up the coconut milk and becomes soft and moist and is ready to enjoy with chutneys and curries of your choice. You could also break an egg after swirling and spreading the Appam and follow the rest of the steps. The egg gets cooked with the appam and is so yummy.
• You could also add different fillings to the Appams such as cooked ground lamb/beef/chicken and top with cheese etc.
• Make dessert Appams by adding fresh coconut flakes with brown sugar or any other sweet filling.

Notes

1. You could either use grated coconut or just add some coconut milk to the ground batter. The Appams get the sweetness from the coconut and taste delicious. But it is your choice to use coconut or not. You can also make plain Appams without using coconut.
2. Adding too much Eno or Baking Soda makes the Appams yellow and centre of the Appam does not bubble up and becomes flat.
3. Do not add salt or baking soda to the entire rice batter. Add it only when you are ready to make Appams using one cup of batter at a time as given in the instructions above.
4. You can store the batter after it has fermented in the fridge for up to a week. After that it starts turning sour.
5. Either ENO or Baking Soda should be used not both.
6. The Wok should be really hot, otherwise the batter will not stick to the wok and spread to form an Appam.
7. Using a glass lid to cover the Appam Wok helps to see the Appams browning.
8. Use the Instant Pot for fermenting the batter.

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