Appam & Stew

Hope all of you had a wonderful Onam! Ask a newly married where they are heading out for their honeymoon in India and most likely the answer is Kerala.I have heard at least a dozen times. No wonder it is everyone's favorite spot and justifiably so. As a kid, I have known Kerala as a highly educated state with the literacy rate above 90%, the highest in India.Sadly, I have never gotten a chance to visit this gem of a place.But I have seen the most picturesque palm lined beaches,elephants adorned with ornaments, the famous backwaters, Tea plantations and the beautiful temples, of course in the photos taken by my friends. This is also the home to Yoga, Ayurvedic Medicine,and Kathakali (a form of dance usually presented in the form of folk play and based on epics also carries a moral). And not to mention the Boat race during Onam.It is as intriguing as a place can get. It has to be on everyone's list to see before we die!!
Today's dish also hails from the land of coconuts -Appam and Stew.It is a lacey crepe which is very light in texture and flavor.Served with stew, you are a step short from Heaven. I had my share of utter flops and some good hits with this dish. This recipe seems to give me perfect Appams every time I make it.So try it!

Source:Internet

1 cup Rice flour (There is also rice flour meant for making Palappams under the name of Nirapara)
1 1/2 tbsps cooked rice
1/2 cup coconut milk (I used a canned coconut milk)
Salt to taste

Yeast Mixture
1 packet active dry yeast packet
3 tsps sugar
1/4 cup water

Appams

• Dissolve the sugar in 1/4 cup water and add the yeast.
• Set aside in a warm place until it is frothy.
• Blend the rice flour, yeast mixture and cooked rice
• Set aside the batter to rise and ferment overnight. You cannot go wrong with the sour and the yeast smell.
• Before making the appams, add the coconut milk and salt.
• Heat the Appam Chethi.
• Pour a ladle of appam batter and quickly swirl the pan such that it covers the edges of the pan in order to get the shape of a bowl leaving a puddle in the center.
• Cover it with a lid and cook for 2 min.
• Once the appam is cooked, the appam will start peeling away from the edges of the pan
• Gently remove the appam from the pan and place it on a plate.
• Serve it with Vegetable stew(Recipe Follows)

Vegetable Stew
2 potatoes, peeled, cut into big cubes and boiled
3 carrots, peeled, chopped and boiled
15 beans, cut and boiled
1 Onion, cut in half and thinly sliced similar to half moons
3 cloves
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Bay leaves
2 Green chillies, chopped
2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
8- 10 Curry leaves, divided
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Oil

• Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
• Add the chillies and 4-5 curry leaves;Fry them for 2 min
  
• Add the cloves, Cinnamon stick and Bay leaves
• Cook for a few min.
• Pour the Coconut milk and simmer for 5 min
• Add the Carrots, Beans and Potatoes
• Continue simmering such that the flavors of the veggies are well absorbed
• Stir in the Coconut oil
• Garnish with the rest of the curry leaves.
• Serve with hot appams