Kerala Palappam and Vegetable Stew (Ishtu) in Clay

Palappam (പാലപ്പം) is the lacy rice pancake of Kerala, soft in the centre and crisp at the edges. It is cooked one at a time in an appam chatti and served with ishtu (ഇഷ്ടു), a mild coconut milk stew. Both are at home in clay.

• Makes 10 to 12 appams, stew for 4
• Prep 30 minutes, plus soaking and 8 hours to ferment
• Cook 45 minutes
• Pots appam chatti and a 2 L pot

Ingredients

For the appam batter

• 2 cups raw rice, soaked for 4 hours
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt to taste

For the stew

• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 10 French beans, cut
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 onion, sliced
• A 1 inch piece of ginger, cut into thin strips
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 green cardamom and 6 black peppercorns
• 2 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• Salt to taste

Method

The batter

1. Grind the soaked rice, coconut and cooked rice with just enough water to make a smooth, pourable batter.
2. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Cover and leave to ferment for 8 hours or overnight, until the batter rises and turns bubbly.
3. Add salt and stir gently just before cooking.

The stew

1. Warm a clay pot on a low flame. Add the coconut oil, then the whole spices.
2. Add the onion, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Cook until the onion is soft but not brown.
3. Add the vegetables, the thin coconut milk and salt. Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Lower the flame and pour in the thick coconut milk. Heat for 2 minutes without letting it boil, then switch off.

The appams

1. Heat the appam chatti on a low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Wipe the inside with a few drops of oil.
2. Pour a ladle of batter into the centre. Hold the chatti with a cloth on both sides and swirl it once so the batter coats the sides.
3. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden and the centre is cooked through.
4. Lift the appam out with a flat spatula. It is not flipped.

Clay pot notes

• Season a new appam chatti before first use. The first one or two appams may stick until the surface builds up.
• Keep the flame at low to medium. The chatti holds heat well, so later appams cook faster.
• Bring coconut milk to room temperature before adding it to a hot pot.
• Wash with plain water only, and dry fully before storing.

The appams are made in the black clay appam chatti and the stew in a black clay pot. Buy both together and mix and match takes 5% off.