When we speak of Indian street food, the first thing that comes to our mind is chaat, paapdi, rolls or momos! But that is all about the north Indian street food, have you ever wondered about the street food down south? Beyond the dosas, idlis and vadas, south Indian cuisine boasts of stellar street foods that aren't much popular but are sure to impress your taste buds. From puttu and kothu parotta to pazhampuri and atho, the list is endless with each street food brimming with distinct flavours.
Appams, for instance, are one of the staple in south Indian cuisine, and one can find a lot of it in on the streets of Kerala. Paper soft, thin and crispy, it is made with rice flour and popularly paired with chicken stews, ghee roast and avial. Quick and easy to make, appams are made in many different variations with multiple ingredients. From bright beetroot appam to egg one, you can choose from a whole lot! But did you know you can even relish a sweet appam made with just a handful of ingredients? You read that right.
Vellayappam, also known as vellappam, palappam or kallappam in Kerala, is a super thin, soft and sweet appam made with white rice, coconut and yeast as primary ingredients. One can use jaggery or sugar to sweeten them. You can pair it with stews, avial or any dry accompaniment or simply have as is!
(Also Read: How To Make Instant Appam, Kerala's Feathery Soft Bread With Just 5 Ingredients!)
Appams are made in many different variations with multiple ingredients.
Here is how you can make Vellayappam at home:
Ingredients:
- Rice- 1 cup
- Cooked rice- 1/2 cup
- Coconut (grated)- 1 cup
- Yeast- 1 tsp + 1 tsp baking soda
- Sugar- 1 tbsp
- Salt- 1/2 tsp
Method:
1. Wash and soak rice for 4-5 hours.
2. Grind the soaked rice with little water to make a smooth batter.
3. Add the grated coconut to this batter and grind again till it is smooth.
4. Now add the cooked rice to it and blend more until smooth liquid consistency. Add more water if needed.
5. Now transfer the batter into a bowl to ferment. Take a deep bowl as it will rise.
6. Make the yeast mix by adding yeast and baking powder to warm water. Gently mix for about 5 minutes. Let it rest closed for about 10 minutes.
7. Add this yeast mixture along with salt to the batter. Mix it well.
8. Let it ferment for about 10 hours or overnight. The batter will rise when well fermented.
9. Now to make Vellayappam, heat a flat-surfaced pan, grease it with oil and pour a ladleful of fermented batter on the pan.
10. Swirl the pan to let the batter spread for crispy edges.
11. Let the vellayappam cook, covered for a few minutes. Serve hot.
Try this sweet and soft appam from the streets of Kerala at home and share your experience with us in the comments section below.