Aapam

Aapam is a specialty food. It has thick spongy center and thin edges. They take the shape of the bowl that they are cooked in – shallow/deep. The basic ingredients are rice – both varieties. The addition of urad dal, sago, toddy, yeast, etc is for the fermentation process and varies from region to region. The technique of making Aapam is the same. It is a breakfast or dinner dish, served with sweetened coconut milk and savory stew/spicy chutney. Another favorite accompaniment with Aapam is the Coconut Sambal, a Sri Lankan dish. The link with Sri Lanka is obvious in Chettiar homes. Generally savory aapam’s are the only kind made. In Chettinad, we also make the sweet variety. Thick jaggery syrup is added to the batter to prepare the sweet version.

Aapam

Aapam with Coconut Sambal

Ingredients:

1¾ cup RawRice

¾ cup Parboiled Rice

½ cup Urad Dal

1 Tbsp Fenugreek

¼ cup Sago/Tapioca Pearls

Method:

Wash and soak all the ingredients together for 3 hours.

Grind to a smooth batter.

Take batter in a large bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and beat together.

Pour into 2 containers and rest the batter for 8 hours, to ferment.

To one, add jaggery syrup and thick coconut milk.

To the other, add salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar and coconut milk.

Blend well and make aapam’s.

Flower Aapam - Saw this version @ Kumbakonam

Serving suggestions:

:Sweetened Coconut Milk and Milagai Chutney

:Vegetable Stew

:Kurma

:Kadala Curry

:Capsicum Sambal