Appam
An appam or aappam is a type of thin pancake in South Indian cuisine. It is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, traditionally cooked in an appachatti, a deep pan similar in shape to a wok. It is a popular dish in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, they are typically known as hoppers. Appams are most frequently served for breakfast or dinner, often with a side dish such as a vegetable or egg curry.
Etymology
"Appam" may derive from the Sanskrit word, which refers to a type of "fried dainty."History
, an Indian journalist, quotes food historian K. T. Achaya and states that the appam is mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, in works like Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai. Achaya states that appams were well-established in [Tamilakam|ancient Tamil country] as mentioned in Sangam, with poems also describing appams along with modakam being sold at street markets in ancient city of Madurai.Appams are a close relative of dosas. Early dosas were made from rice batter and later black lentils were introduced, and since then black lentils have become an integral component of dosa. The recipe of appam unlike dosa has remained unchanged for centuries. One of the earliest recipes for appams can be found in the elaborately carved recipe on the walls of the Srirangam temple, made to be offered to the deity.
Appams have a rich history in the island nation of Sri Lanka. There are multiple styles of fermenting appam, and some Jewish historians have noted that the Cochin Jews of Kerala used fresh toddy instead of yeast.
Variations
Idiyappam
are made from rice noodles curled into flat spirals. They are served for breakfast with a thin curry of fish or chicken, containing only one or two pieces of meat, a dhal dish, and a spicy sambol or fresh chutney. Kiri hodi or sodhi, a type of coconut milk curry, is another popular accompaniment to idiyappam. String hoppers are made from steamed rice flour made into a dough with water and a little salt, and forced through a mould similar to those used for pasta to make the strings. They are cooked by steaming. Some people even sprinkle grated coconut on the rice noodles. These hoppers can be bought ready-made. In India and Sri Lanka, string hoppers can be served as both a breakfast meal and as dinner. There are many variations to hoppers, depending on, for example, the type of flour used. This simple dish can be adapted into other foods such as string hopper biriyani, by adding scrambled eggs or vegetables.Achappam
are deep-fried rose cookies made with rice.Kuzhalappam
Kuzhalappams are a typical Syrian Christian-Saint Thomas Christians dish, a fried crisp curled up like a tube.Neyyappam
owe their origins to Kerala and have been a traditional offering in Hindu temples for God. They are made with rice flour, jaggery and clarified butter ghee, which is the traditional method of making Nei appams. The different culture and religious practices introduced variations to the dish.Unni appams are a variation in which mashed plantain is added to the batter. The batter is made out of rice flour, jaggery and plantain and is poured into a vessel called appakarai or appakaram, which has ghee heated to a high temperature. The appams take the shape of small cups and are fried until deep brown.