I learned to make appams last year after my mom got the special "appam chatti" for me. Since I am a novice Kerala cook, I was not sure if I could make it right. But the whole credit goes to that "Appam Chatti". I wish, I had told my mom to get "puttu maker" too. But better luck next time. I can't wait to try Purnima's recipe for Puttu.Last year when I made Appams, I did the most traditional recipe - soaking rice, adding coconut milk etc. I think they are called pal-appams. This time, I was in my own crazy mood. So I made "Whole Wheat Appam minus coconut milk".
Here's what I did -
Whole Wheat Appams (18 - 21 Appams)
Ingredients
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp bread machine's yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp warm water
1 tsp baking soda
Salt to taste
few drops oil for seasoning the appam chatti
Method
1. Mix yeast, sugar and lukewarm water till frothy. Keep aside for 5 minutes.
2. Add yeast mixture to the wheat flour. Add 2 cups water to make a thick batter. Cover with a lid and keep in a warm place to ferment for at least 12 hours.
3. After 12 hours, when ready to make appams, add salt, baking soda. Add more water to adjust the consistency. Do not make too thin batter.
4. Heat "Appam chatti". Season the "appam chatti" with a few drops of oil.
5. Pour a ladleful of batter, and give a quick swirl by holding the handles of the "appam chatti". The batter will spread around and as you stop some batter will saturate in the center to give the trademark puff in the middle.
6. Cover with a lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes. You should see the lace/bubbles/holes around the circumference and a soft, cooked puff in the middle. Lift carefully with a spatula. Keep in a platter. Repeat till all the appams are ready.
Note -1. The batter will be more glutenous than the rice batter. But still the appams came out pretty good.
2. Keep the appams separately on the platter.
