Vella Appam

Ingredient	For 8
Raw rice	500gms
Sugar	1 tsp
Toddy	250ml
Water	50ml
Coconut	1
Salt	To aste
Cumin	1 large pinch
Garlic (optional)	2 cloves

Wash and soak rice. Drain and dry for a little while. Pound well. Roast slightly. Sieve through a fine sieve. Remove the coarser powder that remains on the sieve and to it add 1 cup water. Cook together till tender. Add to the sifted flour with the toddy and sugar. Knead well. The mixture should be of a thick batter consistency. Leave overnight. Next morning grind the coconut into a fine paste with cumin and garlic if used. Mix with the batter; add salt to taste. Set aside for one hour. Heat the griddle. Pour spoonfuls of mixture and spread till about 7.5 to 10 cm. (3” to 4”) in diameter and 0.7 cm (1/4”) thick. When one side is done, turn over and bake the second side. Serve hot with fried meat (irachi olathiyathu) or meat curry.

N.B.       Half a teaspoon of granulated yeast may be used instead of toddy in which case mix yeast with a cup lukewarm water and sugar and allow it to work for about half an hour before adding to the flour. 


 Vatta Appam

Ingredients same as for Vella Appam but add more sugar (1 to 2 tbsp). Proceed till the addition of ground coconut. Allow to rise (about 2 hours). Pour into greased pan about 20 cm. (8”) in diameter and 5 cm (2”) deep. (Aluminium or brass or enamel pan may be used). Steam in steamers. Leave to cool and remove.