Velllayappam

Most of the dishes in this blog prepared by me are learnt from my mother and some from my mother in law.  Some dishes will turn out good by experience only.  Vellayappam falls in this category.  My mother still does not know how to make this properly.  I had done lot of assumptions to make this appam.  But now I can make soft and tasty vellayappams without too much tensions.
Firstly we must have good quality rice to make soft appam.  We are calling this rice as 'Pachari'.  Soak the rice for minimum four hours.  Grind this thoroughly with some cooked rice and grated coconut.  Add a pinch of yeast two spoonful of sugar in the mixture and allow it to ferment.  It will take around 6 hours for this.  After that add sufficient amount of salt.  We can make appams in 'Appa chatti'.  Now appa chatti is available in non stick versions also.  Its a nice breakfast item. 

All my memories related to this dish related to my neighbouring christian family.  They will come in early mornings with heaps of appam on Christmas and Easter.  I had tasted this in hotels also.  But most of the hotels will not add coconut to this item so we will not get this much taste.  In this dish when we add toddy or 'Kallu'  for fermentation its known as 'Kallappam'.