Kallappam (Vellayappam) -Step By Step Pics | Rice Pancakes (without Yeast/ Baking Soda)

Appam without yeast?? Yes..u heard me right.These appams are known as "kallappam" meaning appam made with kallu(toddy).Kallappams are soft appams made at our place regularly as other appams like paalappam and is relished with some chicken stew or spicy chicken curry.We also call this appam as 'vellayappam' too but at my husband's place paalappam(laced appams) is known as 'vellayappam'.Anyways the best name to this appam is kallappam.Kallappam is also served for St.Gregorious perunnal(feast) in our churches as nercha(offering) with kozhi curry.

Coming back to the recipe of kallappam,now the next question arises-how did I get hold of toddy(kallu) in US? Yup,dt's true.. I made kallu at home but with coconut water(recipe below).Toddy(kallu) is one of the traditional and local drink extracted from coconut trees or palm trees in Kerala.When the coconut tree flowers are just budding,the coconut tree climbers(thengu kayattakaran) would reach the bud,make a hole where a white liquid oozes out and tie a pot to collect. Every morning, they fetch the kallu (toddy) from these trees and fermentation starts immediately.

In olden days, toddy(kallu) was used in leavening vellayappam, paalappam or vattayappam and yielded very nice results.My mom & grandmother used to prepare the kallu from coconut water collected from coconuts and that's how I learnt making this kallu (fermented coconut wine).But now days yeast is readily available and so no one bothers to make this kind of appams using coconut water and making appam.However, I love the flavour of these appams very much and is much better for health.You still can make this kallappam with yeast.So, enjoy this appam !!

Ingredients
plain rice/pachari 1.5 cups
grated coconut 1 cup
coconut water 1/2 cup 

sugar 1.5 tbsp

cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

shallots 3-4
cooked rice 2 tbsp
salt 1/2 tsp

Watch on YouTube -

Method
TO MAKE FERMENTED COCONUT WINE

• I Method -In a clean dry bottle, pour the coconut water and sugar.Shake well and leave undisturbed for 24 hours.The mixture gets cloudy and sweet, intoxicating fermented coconut wine(kallu) gets ready.If you leave it longer, it becomes sour and it turns vinegar.Discard the mixture if, as it yield turns vinegar, it yields sour appams and causes acidity.If making this way, then add only 1/4 cup of the fermented mix.
• II Method - Add the coconut water to a bowl and add sugar, mix to dissolve. Leave undisturbed for 4–5 hours. This will make a less fermented version but when added to the ground mix, gets fermented nicely. In this method, use 1/2 cup of this mix. In the video, I have used this method.

(fresh coconut & fresh coconut water)

TO MAKE APPAMS

• Wash and soak the rice in water for 3–4 hours.Drain the water and add grated coconut, cumin seeds, cooked rice, shallots and the kallu in a grinder and blend until smooth.If you are using a mixer, then grind all separately and use kallu (or fermented coconut wine) instead of water for grinding.Make a thick better as for thick dosas.
• Add salt to the batter and leave for 6–8 hours to ferment.After 6 hours, the batter rises but not like the yeast batter though, gently mix up without deflating the air much.

• Heat a non-stick pan and add a ladle of batter when tawa/pan gets hot.Cover the non-stick with a lid or plate to get cooked.You'll find bubbles start appearing at the surface and break.The white batter turns off-white and gets cooked.(takes about 1 minute)
• Slide a spatula and remove to a plate (no need to flip the other side as it gets cooked when covered). But if you feel it to be flipped, then flip and cook for 30 seconds.Repeat the same steps to finish the batter.
• Serve warm with chicken stew / chicken curry /egg curry/ beef mappas  !!

Servings~ 10-11 appams

NOTES

* You can add yeast instead of kallu (toddy) if you don't get hold of fresh coconut water.

* Use tender coconut for grated coconut. The texture of appams is very nice. Use only the white portion of coconut for the white colour of appams.

* These appams are off-white due to the fermentation process.

* Canned coconut water may not work good. Use mature coconuts water for best results.

* The amount of yeast is 1/2 tsp of active dry yeast for this amount of rice listed above if not using coconut water.

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I made paalappams/vellayappam with kallu, pic below & recipe here-