Appam with Vegetable Stew (Kerala Lace Pancakes and Coconut Stew)
اپم اور سبزی کا اسٹو (کیرالا کے جالی دار پین کیک اور ناریل کا اسٹو)
Appam are one of Kerala's most beautiful foods: bowl-shaped pancakes of fermented rice and coconut, with a thick, soft, spongy centre and thin, lacy edges that crackle. They're cooked in a small curved pan, swirled so the batter climbs the sides. The classic partner is *ishtu*, a mild, creamy stew of vegetables in coconut milk scented with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and black pepper. It's gentle enough for children and a favourite Christmas and Easter breakfast among Kerala's Christian families.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 5 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 35 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
For the appam, grind the soaked rice, cooked rice and coconut with about 1 cup water to a smooth, pourable batter. Mix in the yeast and sugar, cover and leave in a warm place for 6–8 hours until bubbly. Stir in the salt.
For the stew, heat the coconut oil and fry the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and pepper for 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger, chillies and curry leaves and cook gently for 5 minutes without browning.
Add the potatoes, carrot, beans, salt and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas.
Pour in the coconut milk and heat gently for 3 minutes without boiling. The stew should be creamy white and pourable.
Heat an appam pan or small non-stick wok on medium. Pour in a small ladle of batter, lift the pan and swirl so the batter coats the sides thinly and pools in the middle. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until the centre is set and the edges are crisp. Serve at once with the stew.
Make the rest the same way and serve each appam hot from the pan.
Kitchen notes
An appam pan (appachatti) is a small, deep, curved pan with a lid. A small non-stick wok works well.
Traditionally the batter was fermented with toddy (palm wine); yeast gives the same rise without alcohol.
For a meat version, simmer chicken or mutton with the spices before adding the vegetables.
Kerala’s festive breakfast
Appam and stew is the breakfast of celebration in Kerala, especially among the state’s Syrian Christian community, who serve it on Christmas and Easter mornings, often with a chicken or mutton stew. It’s also sold in restaurants all over Kerala as an everyday meal. The combination is gentle and fragrant rather than fiery, which surprises many people who expect all South Indian food to be hot.
The appam pan
Appam get their shape from a small curved pan. The batter pools in the middle, where it cooks thick and soft under a lid, while a thin film on the sides turns crisp and lacy. A small non-stick wok or deep frying pan does the job at home.
The stew
Ishtu is Kerala’s version of a stew, believed to have been influenced by European cooking, but made entirely with local ingredients: coconut milk, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and warm whole spices. It should be pale, creamy and mild, never reddened with chilli powder.
Serving
Serve appam hot from the pan with the stew. They’re also wonderful with Kerala fish curry or Chettinad chicken, and with a cup of sweet Sulaimani chai.
Questions people ask
Is appam the same as hoppers?
Yes. In Sri Lanka they're called hoppers (appa), often with an egg cooked in the middle.
Why are my appams not lacy at the edges?
The batter may be too thick or the pan not hot enough. Thin the batter slightly and swirl quickly.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 470
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
