Traditionally toddy was used to make appam.They are also called vellappam (white appam) and palappam (milk appam) denoting its colour and the use of coconut milk,respectively.
You will need an appachatti to prepare the appam.
1 1/4 cups rice
A pinch of dry yeast
1/2 tsp+1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cooked rice
A pinch of cumin powder
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp oil
Method of Preparation
Wash rice and soak in water for 3 hours.
Mix yeast with 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp lukewarm water,and set aside to ferment for an hour.
Drain soaked rice and grind with cooked rice,cumin and yeast to a very fine paste with 3/4 cup water.Add another 2 tbsp water if required.
Pour in coconut milk,mix gently and se aside for a further 8 hours.
Add salt and 1/2 tsp sugar just before cooking appam.(The quantity of sugar can be increased at this stage if you want the appam to taste sweet.)
Coat an appachatti with oil and heat it.Pour in a ladle of batter.Tilt and rotate the appachatti so that the batter spreads all round.Cover and cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
Serve with chicken,mutton or vegetable stew;prawn or fish moily;sweetened milk or coconut milk.
Note: If toddy is available use 1 cup toddy instead of dry yeast and reduce coconut milk to 3/4 cup.
Another subsitute for dry yeast is to mix 1 tsp sugar with coconut water,keep it near a source of heat,and use it on the fourth day.
