Easy Palappams & Chicken Stew

A pancake unlike any other, Kerala’s own Palappam is crisp, thin and made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk.

Palappam or Appam (a crispy pancake) with Chicken Stew (Ishtu) is one of the best combination dishes popular in Kerala which are usually served for breakfast, especially on holidays. Appam is traditionally served with moilee (seafood stew), ishtoo (spiced stew of potatoes and coconut milk), curry, and sambal. As Appam is considered to be best eaten straight from the pan and piping hot, it’s not long before the pancake is whisked away from the pot and served quickly.

This is the easiest way to make Palappams, instead of trying hard to source toddy, make kappi etc.

Palappams

Wash 2 cups white rice. Into a bowl, add the the rice, 2 teaspoons white sugar, 1 tsp yeast, 1 cup grated coconut and 1 /2 cup cooked Matta rice. Add 2 cups lukewarm water. Mix well and let it stand.

After 2 hours, grind it into a very fine batter. Leave it in a warm spot and let it ferment overnight or for 8-10 hours. Add salt and make the appams.

Chicken Stew

Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add crushed whole spices – 1/2 tsp black pepper corns, 3 cloves, 3 cardamom and 2 cinnamon sticks. Add 2 large chopped onions. Sauté. Add 1/2 inch piece chopped ginger, 3 pods garlic and 2 slit green chillies.

Add 500 grams chicken pieces, 2 boiled and cut potatoes (you may add chopped carrots too but those will sweeten the stew) and 1 cup thin coconut milk. Cook.

Once cooked, add 2 cups thick coconut milk and warm, don’t heat. Add curry leaves and serve hot.

By Annie Joseph Kavalackal