Bread is like the sun, it rises in the yeast and sets in the waist!
Kallappam is an understated breakfast (or any meal) dish . Its looks aren’t as fancy as a hopper or appam with it frilly elegance . Nor does it have the intricate details of an idiyappam or string hopper. But once you set your hands into a soft and fluffy- cloud- like kallappam that can mop up all the goodness , you would definitely rethink your breakfast priorities!
As always , this is yet another brilliant recipe by Preethi chechi, who has simplified it to make each and everyone of us look like a professional! I do think the name of my blog has to be changed to Preethi Chechi’s FAN page. As the only reason , I can cook anything is because of her contributions.
Today being her birthday, I thought it’s just right to post this as a dedication to my beautiful cousin sister who brings the true meaning to the words “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”( 1 Peter 3:4 )
Ingredients
For boiling
Rice Flour – 1 tbsp
Water – 1 cup
Sugar – I tsp
For Grinding
Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 1 cup
Water or coconut water – needed for grinding (varies according to rice flour) – 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Active Dried Yeast – 1/8 tsp ( if in colder places use 1/2 tsp)
Sugar – 2 tbsp and add as per taste
Salt – to taste
For Preparation
Egg White – 1 nos
Milk (optional) – 1/4 cup if required
Method
In a sauce pan mix the rice flour (1tbsp) , water and sugar . Bring this to a boil .
Take it off the flame and let it cool. This will result in a slightly thicker water
In a blender jar , grind the grated coconut to a slightly textured paste.
To the coconut paste, now add the rice flour, sugar, yeast and salt to taste.
Add ( 1/4 to 1/2 cup )water to this and combine the ingredients.
Now add the cooled thickened rice flour water. Combine the ingredients again. If mixture remains too thick add more water.(1/4 to 1/2 cup)
If we replace the water used at the grinding stage with coconut water, it is better.
Blend the mixture for 2-3 minutes till you get a smooth batter. Its better not to blend the mixture too much once the boiled water ingredients are added.
This batter is thicker than the appam/ hopper batter. Cover it and let it ferment. The time taken for fermenting varies from 4 – 8 hours depending on your location and temperature.
Once fermented the batter can be refrigerated and used when required. If refrigerated, do bring it to room temperature before preparing the kallappams.
Using an electric beater, beat an egg white. This is used to get a more fluffy and spongy kallappam.
Slowly fold the egg white into the batter. If needed, you could add a couple of spoons of milk (one spoon at a time) to get the right consistency for the batter. The batter shouldn’t be too loose or runny.
Alternatively, you could combine the beaten egg whites to the batter using the electric beater.
Additional salt and sugar is added at this stage if needed and according to your taste.
Preparation
On a medium flame, heat a tawa /crepe pan / pancake pan.
Pour a ladle of the kallappam batter on the warm pan. There is no need to spread the batter as it would spread on its own. (if that doesn’t happen, you could dilute the batter with a little milk.
There would be a slight sizzling sound but the mixture wouldn’t start bubbling immediately. This shows that the tawa/pan is at the right heat level.
Now cover the pan with a lid. I prefer a glass lid as in that way, I can see the appam bubbling up . This is how it gets cooked.
Once it has bubbles/holes all over, remove the lid and flip it.
There is no need to cover at this stage. Once the kallappam is easy to move around the pan, it means its ready to serve.
This can be served with egg Stew, chicken roast, Fish Moilee or Duck Roast
Maya's LAB 