Appam

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Appam
Appam - appm.jpg
Appam
Alternative namesHoppers, Ãppa, kallappam, vellappam, palappam
Type Pancake or griddle cake
Course Breakfast or dinner
Associated cuisine India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia
Main ingredientsRice batter
VariationsEgg hoppers

An appam or hoppers is a type of thin pancake originating from South India and Sri Lanka. It is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, traditionally cooked in an appachatti, a deep pan similar in shape to a wok. It is part of Tamil cuisine and Kerala cuisine found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and in Sri Lanka. [1] Appam is most frequently served for breakfast or dinner, often with a topping such as an egg.

Contents

Etymology

Appam (also aapa, appe) may derive from the Sanskrit word (अपूप apupa), which refers to a type of "fried dainty." [2]

History

Video of making an appam

Vir Sanghvi, an Indian journalist, quotes food historian K. T. Achaya and states that the appam is mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, in works like Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai. [3] [4] [5] Achaya states that appam was well-established in ancient Tamil country as mentioned in Sangam, with poems also describing appam along with modakam being sold at street markets in ancient city of Madurai. [6] [7]

“At nightfall, the sounds of conch shells cease, and shops are shut, their screens pulled down. Vendors, who sell delicate appams that are like honeycombs and modakam that are made by hand filled with coconut and sugar sweet and pulses, go to sleep."

Appam is a close relative of dosa. Early dosas were made from rice batter and later black lentils were introduced, and since then black lentils have become an integral component of dosa. [3] The recipe of appam unlike dosa has remained unchanged for centuries. [3] One of the earliest recipes for appam can be found in the elaborately carved recipe on the walls of the Srirangam temple, made to be offered to the deity. [8] [9]

Appam also has a rich history in the island nation of Sri Lanka. [10] There are multiple styles of fermenting appam, and some Jewish historians have noted that the Cochin Jews of Kerala used fresh toddy instead of yeast. [11] [12]

Variations

An appam being cooked Appam (hoppers) from Kerala, India.jpg
An appam being cooked
Appam served with coconut milk in Tamil Nadu Appam served with Coconut Milk in Tamil Nadu.JPG
Appam served with coconut milk in Tamil Nadu
Guli Appam Karandi Appam or Kuzhi Appam.jpg
Guli Appam
Appam served with chickpea curry from Kerala Appam with kadala curry from kerala.jpg
Appam served with chickpea curry from Kerala
With egg cooked in middle Appam with egg.jpg
With egg cooked in middle

Idiyappam

Idiyappam (string hopper or noolputtu) is made from rice noodles curled into flat spirals. It is served for breakfast with a thin curry of fish or chicken, containing only one or two pieces of meat, a dhal (lentil) dish, and a spicy sambol or fresh chutney. Kiri hodi or sodhi, a type of coconut milk curry, is another popular accompaniment to idiyappam. String hoppers are made from steamed rice flour made into a dough with water and a little salt, and forced through a mould similar to those used for pasta to make the strings. They are cooked by steaming. Some people even sprinkle grated coconut on the rice noodles. These hoppers can be bought ready-made. In India and Sri Lanka, String Hoppers can be served as both a breakfast meal and as dinner. There are many variations to hoppers, depending on, for example, the type of flour used. This simple dish can be adapted into other foods such as string hopper biriyani, by adding scrambled eggs or vegetables. [13]

Idiyappam with egg masala curry Idiyappam with Egg Masala Curry.jpg
Idiyappam with egg masala curry

Achappam

Achappam is a deep-fried rose cookie made with rice. It is a signature Syrian Christian food. [14]

Kuzhalappam

Kuzhalappam is a typical Syrian Christian-Saint Thomas Christians dish which is a fried crisp curled up like a tube. [15] [16]

Neyyappam

Neyyappam owes its origins to Kerala and has been a traditional offering in Hindu temples for God. [17] It is made with rice flour, jaggery and clarified butter ghee, which is the traditional method of making Nei appam. Again, the different culture and religious practices introduced variations to the dish as described in the citation above.

Unni appam is a variation in which mashed plantain is added to the batter. The batter is made out of rice flour, jaggery and plantain and is poured into a vessel called appakarai or appakaram, which has ghee heated to a high temperature. The appams take the shape of small cups and are fried until deep brown.

Kallappam

Kallappam is a traditional breakfast item of Kerala. It is made from fermented rice flour and coconut batter. Christians in Kerala prepare it on special occasions like Easter. [18] Its name is derived from kallu, Malayalam for palm toddy, the ingredient traditionally used for fermenting the rice flour. In modern preparation of the dish, yeast has replaced toddy. [19]

Pesaha appam

Pesaha appam is made by Nasrani Christians in Kerala during Pesaha (Passover). This type of appam is dipped in syrup or Pesaha Pal (Passover Coconut Milk) before being served. [20]

Vattayappam

Vattayappam Vattayappam (2).JPG
Vattayappam

Vattayappam is made from rice flour, sugar, and coconut. It is an oil-free tea-time snack in a majority of households in Kerala. [21] The dish is made by steam-cooking the batter and is very similar to the bánh bò from Vietnam.

Burmese apon

Appam, called apon (အာပုံ) in Burmese, is a common street food in Burmese cuisine. [22] It is considered a delicacy of Southern Myanmar, in coastal towns like Dawei and Myeik. [23] [24]

Kue apem

Indonesian kue apem, sold in Lok Baintan floating market, Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan Kue apem Pasar Terapung Lok Baintan.jpg
Indonesian kue apem, sold in Lok Baintan floating market, Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan

In Indonesia, a variant of appam is known as kue apem or kue apam. It is an Indonesian kue or traditional cake of steamed dough made of rice flour, coconut milk, yeast and palm sugar, usually served with grated coconut. [25] Indonesian households or community traditionally communally made kue apem for celebration and festivities. For example, Keraton Yogyakarta traditionally held Ngapem ceremony, where royal household communally cook kue apem (Javanese version of appam) as a part of Tingalan Jumenengan Dalem ceremony. [26] It is quite similar to kue mangkok . Just like kue putu it is derived from Indian influence on Indonesian cuisine.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dosa (food)</span> Thin crepe originating from South India

A dosa, dose, dosai or dosha is a thin, savoury crepe in Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground black gram and rice. Dosas are served hot, often with chutney and sambar. Dosas are a common food in South India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idli</span> South Indian savoury rice cake

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lankan cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Sri Lanka

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idiyappam</span> Rice noodle dish

Idiyappam, also known as indiappa, noolputtu, noolappam (நூலப்பம்/நூலாப்பம்), santhagai, or ottu shavige, is a string hopper dish originating from southern India. It consists of rice flour pressed into noodles, laid into a flat disc-like shape and steamed. The dish also spread to Southeast Asia, where it is called putu mayam in Malaysia and Singapore, and putu mayang in Indonesia.

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References

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