Appam with Vegetable Stew

Appam with Vegetable Stew is a delicious and popular South Indian dish that consists of soft, fluffy rice pancakes (appam) served with a flavorful and aromatic vegetable stew. Here’s a recipe along with details on how to prepare both the appam and the vegetable stew:

Ingredients:

For Appam:

• 2 cups raw rice (preferably a short-grain variety like idli rice)
• 1/2 cup cooked rice (leftover rice works well)
• 1/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste

For Vegetable Stew:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

For Appam:

1. Wash and soak the raw rice in water for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the soaked rice and add it to a blender along with cooked rice, grated coconut, yeast, sugar, and salt.
3. Grind the mixture to a smooth batter, adding water as needed. The consistency should be similar to dosa batter.
4. Transfer the batter to a large bowl, cover it, and let it ferment in a warm place for about 6-8 hours or until it doubles in volume.
5. Once the batter is fermented, heat an appam pan or a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
6. Pour a ladleful of batter into the center of the pan and swirl the pan quickly to spread the batter evenly in a circular shape, with a thicker center and thinner edges.
7. Cover the pan and cook the appam for 2-3 minutes or until the edges start to turn crispy and golden brown, and the center is cooked through.
8. Remove the appam from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining batter, greasing the pan lightly if needed.

For Vegetable Stew:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add sliced onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
3. Add diced carrots, potatoes, green beans, and cauliflower florets to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables are slightly tender.
4. Pour in the thin coconut milk, season with salt, and bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked and the flavors are well combined.
5. Stir in the thick coconut milk and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
6. Remove the stew from heat and serve hot with appam.

Serving:

Serve the hot and fluffy appams with a generous serving of vegetable stew on the side. Enjoy this wholesome and comforting dish as a breakfast, brunch, or dinner option.