RAVA APPAM - INSTANT SEMOLINA APPAM

    Well, this recipe is a quick fix - an instant Appam recipe which needs no soaking, no fermentation and it will be ready within 15 minutes. Appam is a traditional South Indian lacy pancake prepared with Raw Rice and Coconut. And it needs to be fermented for at least 8-10 hours/overnight. But this Rava Appam is a simple recipe prepared with White Semolina, few spoons of All-Purpose Flour, Instant Yeast and a bit of Salt & Sugar. Add everything into the blender jar and grind it into a smooth paste adding LUKE WARM WATER little at a time. Luke Warm Water helps to activate the yeast and also facilitates fermentation process.

    There you go with an instant Rava Appam batter, leave it aside for 15-20 minutes and it is ready. The original recipe calls for fermenting the Batter for just 10-15 minutes and the Appam was poured out like Uthappams. I tried making the Rava Appam immediately and what I got didn't convince my brain. It didn't look like an Appam - Fluffy at the centres and crispy, lacy outer edges. By the time everybody sat for dinner, it was almost 3 hours & the Batter was sitting in the counter all the way longs.  When I poured it into the Appam Pan and tried swirling it. Alas! It came out as I wanted an Appam to look like. My brain got well convinced that I was making Appam. The Rava Appam turned out like any other traditional Appam - fluffy at the centre with lacy & crispy edges. So go ahead to make the Rava Appam immediately just fermenting it for 10 -15 minutes or wait for another 2-3 hours. The choice is yours. Both ways Rava Appam does total justice.

    Above all, there is no compromise when it comes to the taste of this Rava Appam. It tastes somewhere in between a traditional Appam and Maida/All-purpose flour Dosa with a mild sourness from the yeast and sweetness from the Sugar added into it. If you add a bit more of Sugar you can get the edges browned to golden yellow colour too. This Rava Appam is an instant version Appam recipe.  When you are in short of time or if you are in a mood for a quick fix this Rava Appam recipe comes out to be a hand. Simply serve it up with Coconut Chutney or sweetened Coconut Milk or pair it up with your choice of Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Side Dishes.

 

 

For more APPAM RECIPES, Click here...

 

Recipe Type - Instant

 Course - Main Course

 Difficulty - Easy

 Yields - 10-12 Appams

 Author - SM

 

 

 Preparation Time - 5 Minutes

 Fermentation Time - 10-15 Minutes/2-3 Hours

 

 

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HOW TO MAKE RAVA APPAM - INSTANT SEMOLINA APPAM

RAVA APPAM - INSTANT SEMOLINA APPAM

INGREDIENTS:

 

Rava/White Semolina - 11/2 Cups

All-purpose Flour - 3 Tbspn

Sugar - 2 Tbspn

Instant Yeast - 1 Tspn

Salt - To Taste

Luke Warm Water - 2 Cups

 

METHOD:

 

For Rava Appam Batter: 

• Throw all the ingredients except water into a blender jar.
• Let the blender jar be big enough for all the ingredients.
• Pour in a little bit of Luke Warm Water and grind the ingredients.
• You would need approximately 2 Cups of Luke Warm Water to grind the batter.
• Add the Luke Warm Water in batches and grind the ingredients into a smooth batter.
• Remove it from the jar and leave the batter aside for 10-15 Minutes.
• The batter is ready for making Appam. You can make Rava Appams right away.
• Or else, If you have enough time to allow it to ferment for another 2-3 hours.
• You can cook the Rava Appam like any other traditional Appams.
• Well-fermented Rava Appam batter yields you with Appams which are fluffy at the centres & crispy- lacy outer edges.

RAVA APPAM - INSTANT SEMOLINA APPAM

To make Rava Appam:

 

• Heat the Appam pan.
• Pour a ladle full of batter into the pan.
• Swirl the pan once, in such a way that the batter spreads around.
• The centre of the Rava Appam should be slightly thicker than the edges. 
• Cover the pan with the lid and let it cook for around two minutes.
• The flame should be kept at low.
• Once the edges start to brown and the centre is cooked, the Rava Appam is ready.
• Remove the Rava Appam from the pan and serve it hot.
• Can serve with Stew, Red Coconut Chutney, Egg Curry with Coconut Milk or any curry of your choice. 
• Goes well with Vegetarian & Non-vegetarian Curries. 
• Appam/Vellayappam tastes great with sweetened Coconut Milk or simply serve it with Sugar/Brown Sugar.
• Can also serve Steamed Bananas/Nendhra Pazham Puzhungiyathu/Nendhra Pazham cooked in Sugar Syrup along with Cloves as a side dish for Appam/Velleyappam. 
  

 

 

  

  NOTES: 

 

• There is no need to dry-roast the Rava/White Semolina.
  
• Use lukewarm water to grind the batter, this is to speed up the fermenting process.
• I used approximately 2 cups of water in this recipe. If you feel the batter to be thick adjust the amount of water to suit your purpose. 
• The Appam batter should be slightly thinner than the Dosa batter. 
• Swirling the batter in the pan ONCE, yields crispy edges and soft, fluffy centres. 
• Adding Sugar in the batter will speed up the activating process.
• Fermenting the batter for just 10-15 minutes is more than enough for this Appam recipe.
• If you need Appams with fluffy centres and crispy edges, leave it aside to ferment for another 2-3 hours.
• Both ways this Rava Appam recipe total justice to the recipe.
• If you need to quicken the fermenting process, avoid adding Salt to the Rava Appam batter.
• Add salt just before making Rava Appam.
• Fermentation time depends upon the weather. Adjust accordingly. 

 

SHOP RELATED PRODUCTS:

 

KARIKKU APPAM - TENDER COCONUT APPAM

    Appam is one favourite dish among Malayalees.  Right from a Breakfast scene to an elaborate party scene you can see an Appam served in the menu.  So is the love for an Appam for Keralites.  Needless to say it serves as a default Breakfast Menu on a Christmas & Easter day, in most of the Kerala Christian Households.  Mostly served along with the ever knotted combo of Stew or an Egg Curry with Coconut Milk or any vegetarian/non-vegetarian side dishes of your choice.  Or simply serve it along with Red Coconut Chutney, sweetened Coconut Milk or with Sugar/Brown Sugar. Some even serve Appam along with Steamed Bananas/Nendhra Pazham Puzhungiyathu  The Side dishes served along with an Appam gets vivid with taste & preferences.

    When a region is overloaded with Coconut Trees & that's Our God's Own Country - Keralam, you are intended to find quite a number of dishes loaded with Coconuts whatsoever.  Needless to say, the locally proclaimed & celebrated hooch - the one & only "Kallu/Toddy" in the region and the never ending Kallu Shappu culture.  Even you can find a wonderful Appam made with Kallu or the Toddy called Kallappam or the Appam with fresh sweet Toddy.  Toddy helps in activating the fermentation process and also yields you with a fluffy centred and crispy edges Appams.

    This Karikku Appam recipe is a simple twist given to a Kallappam, where I have used Tender Coconut Shavings & Tender Coconut Water to make this Appam Batter.  And Yeast helps to get the batter fermented.  This is a foolproof recipe. It is one best way to use the tender & sweet Coconut shavings, and it is full of flavours. Tender Coconut shavings has a natural sweetness and adds a creamy, rich taste to this Karikku Appam. Allow the batter to ferment accordingly and there you go with a perfect Karikku Appam. This recipe of Karikku Appam yields you with  soft, fluffy centred and crispy edges Appams.

For more APPAM RECIPES, Click here...


Cuisine - South Indian, Sri Lanka & Southeast Asian
Course - Main Course
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 30-35 Appams
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 3-4 Hours
Fermentation Time - 10-12 Hours/Overnight

KARIKKU APPAM - TENDER COCONUT APPAM

• Wash & Soak the Raw Rice for about 3-4 hours.
• Once soaked, drain the Rice.
• Grind Raw Rice, Cooked Rice, grated Coconut and Tender Coconut shavings, adding little Coconut Water at a time.
• Add water as required.
  
• Grind it until it turns into a very smooth batter.
• Add the Yeast Mix to the above batter.
• Store it in an airtight container and leave it aside for another 10 - 12 hours or overnight to ferment.
• Once fermented, add Salt and mix the batter well.

• Heat the Appam pan.
• Pour a ladle full of batter into the pan.
• Swirl the pan once, in such a way that the batter spreads around.
• The centre of the Karikku Appam/ Tender Coconut Appam should be slightly thicker than the edges.
• Cover the pan with the lid and let it cook for around two minutes.
• The flame should be kept at low.
• Once the edges start to brown and the centre is cooked, the Karikku Appam/ Tender Coconut Appam is ready.
• Remove the Karikku Appam from the pan.
• Can serve with Stew, Red Coconut Chutney, Egg Curry with Coconut Milk or any Vegetarian/Non-vegetarian curry of your choice. 
• Karikku Appam/ Tender Coconut Appam tastes great with sweetened Coconut Milk or simply serve it with Sugar/Brown Sugar.
• Can also serve Steamed Bananas/Nendhra Pazham Puzhungiyathu/Nendhra Pazham cooked in Sugar Syrup along with Cloves as a side dish for Karikku Appam/ Tender Coconut Appam.
  

 

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

 

    Let's come up with a few recipes suitable for the Season - Summer, Summer Fruits, Summer Holidays.  Arrival of summer in India brings forth the Season of seasonal fruits like Jack Fruit and Mangoes.  When a produce is in abundance, an Indian household gets busy preserving it in its own way or utilizing it in the best possible way.  So, a few recipes with Jack Fruit for the Season.

    Should I Say this Palaharam as Chakka Appam or Chakka Ada?  Well, both seems to sound correct to my knowledge.  Chakka Appam or Chakka Ada is a classical Kerala Palaharam prepared with Rice flour, Jaggery and one main ingredient irresistibly a Keralites favourite - Chakka alias Jack Fruit.  It is a common joke of a Malayalee that, if Sir Isaac Newton was born in India, instead of an apple, a jackfruit might have hit his head.  If so, the irony would be that he wouldn't have lived to proclaim his Law of Gravity.  Well, so is the popularity of this amazingly big fruit in God's Own Country.  Least to mention the variety of dishes made out of this fruit.  Right from a young raw jackfruit to the ripe one, at different stages of its growth, even it seeds are converted into tasty dishes, there comes a dish made out of Jack fruit in Kerala.

JACK FRUIT

    My husband gets overwhelmed when purchasing his favourite items and especially items like Tapioca & Jack Fruit, his whims get to the core and buys portions more than what is necessary for two of us.   A few months back it happened again, and he ended up buying a big portion of Jack Fruit from the local wet market.  As usual, my mind got occupied with the thought of finishing it soon, in vain trying with the next step of preserving it.  In the process, as a helping hand, he came with the idea of making this Chakka Appam.  Well, I had actually made a portion of Chakka Varattiyathu in the morning, and so I felt the idea of cooking up Chakka Appam is going to be an easy task and so was it.

    So, well talking about Chakka Appam or Chakka Ada, it is one Kerala Palaharam similar to Ela Ada/Ilayada.  Ela Ada is made with Rice Flour with a filling inside, which is usually made of Coconut & Jaggery.  But the main difference in this recipe is that the filling has Jack Fruit Purée or simply the Chakka Varattiyathu or the Jack Fruit Preserve.  Some recipe of this Chakka Appam/Ada is made with an outer layer of Rice Flour and the filling inside.  Whereas, some recipes are made by kneading all the ingredients together along with the Rice flour and this recipe is done in the above method.  I have kneaded all the ingredients together and then, just spread it out over a Banana Leaf.  Gently press the folded Banana Leaf & tightly secure it.  Steam cook this simple delicacy in a steamer until cooked.

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

Cuisine - Kerala (India)
Recipe - Snack
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 10 -15 Ela Ada
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20 - 30 Minute
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes.

For more recipes from GODS OWN COUNTRY - KERALA, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

INGREDIENTS:

With Jack Fruit Purée:

Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Jack Fruit Purée - 1 Cup
Jaggery - 1/2 Cup
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon 
Dry Ginger Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Ghee - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - a Pinch

 

METHOD:  

CHAKKA APPAM DOUGH

For Chakka Appam Dough:

• Grind the Jack Fruits and make a Purée out of it.
• Add powdered jaggery to the Jack Fruit Purée and mix well.
• Mix well until the Jaggery dissolves.
• Alternatively, can add powdered Jaggery while grinding the Jack Fruit pods.
• Then, add the roasted Rice Flour, grated Coconut, Powdered Cardamom, Dry Ginger Powder and mix well until well combined.
• Finally, add a teaspoon of melted Ghee and mix well.
• The dough would be slightly loose and pliable.
• You may not need any extra water while mixing the dough in this method
  

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

 

INGREDIENTS:

With Chakka Varattiyathu/Jack Fruit Preserve:

Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Chakka Varattiyathu /Jack Fruit Preserve - 3/4 Cup
Jaggery - 1/4 Cup
Water - 1/4 Cup
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon 
Dry Ginger Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon 
Ghee - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - a Pinch 

For a detailed Recipe on HOW TO MAKE CHAKKA VARATTIYATHU, Click here

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

 

METHOD:  

For Chakka Appam Dough:

• Melt the Jaggery in 1/4 Cup of Water.
• The idea is to just dissolve the Jaggery here.
• Strain for any impurities and transfer it into a pan.
• Add 3/4 Cup Chakka Varattiyathu to the Jaggery water and mix it thoroughly until well combined.
• Cook this on a low flame until it boils.
• Then, add the roasted Rice Flour, grated Coconut, Powdered Cardamom, Dry Ginger Powder and mix well until well combined.
• Finally, add a teaspoon of melted Ghee and mix well.
• The dough would be slightly loose and pliable.

Folding Chakka Appam in a Banana Leaf:

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

• Cut Banana Leaves and smear Coconut Oil over it.
• Spoon in a handful of Chakka Appam Dough on to the Banana Leaf.

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

• Fold the Banana Leaf into two and gently press it with your palms so that the dough evenly spreads through the Banana Leaf.
• Press the Banana Leaves & tightly secured the dough inside the Leaf and leave it aside.

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

• Follow the suit for the rest of the dough.
• Smear a little bit of coconut oil over the tray/plate which would be used to steam the Chakka Appam/Ada, alternatively, you can line up a Banana Leaf over the tray.
• Arrange the prepared Chakka Appam/Adas in the tray/plate. Do not overcrowd the Chakka Appam.

Steam Cooking the Chakka Appam/ Ada:

• Pour water into the Idli Chembu/Steamer, cover and allow it to boil for about 10–12 minutes on a medium flame.
• Once the steam builds, then place the tray/plate with the prepared Chakka Appam/Ada into the steamer.

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

•  Cover the lid tightly and Steam cook the Ela Adas on a low flame for about 10–15 minutes, or until they are no more sticky.

CHAKKA APPAM

• Switch off the flame.
• Serve Ela Ada/Ilayada hot or at room temperature.

JACK FRUIT/CHAKKA APPAM - CHAKKA ADA

NOTES:

• Can use ready-made Appam/Idiyappam/Pathiri Flour for the recipe. I have used Malaysian Brand, Babas Idiyappam Flour for the recipe.
• The dough should be slightly loose and pliable. Adjust accordingly. 
• Adding ghee to the dough is purely optional. But it gives a wonderful texture and aroma to Chakka Appam.
  
• Adjust the amount of jaggery to suit your taste preference.
• Using Dry Ginger Powder is Optional.

Traditional Nendhra Pazha Appam

"Nendhra Pazham Appam: A Heart-Warming Snack from Our Family Recipe Book"

    Nendhra Pazham Appam is a traditional Nadan Palaharam (snack) that's deeply rooted in our family’s culinary treasure chest. This mildly sweet appam, made with rice flour, slices of Nendhra banana, ground coconut paste, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom, is a treat that’s as comforting as it is simple. Perfect for tea time, this snack brings together the deliciousness of appams and the rich, distinctive flavour of Nendhra Pazham. If you're a fan of both, this snack is sure to delight your taste buds with its humble yet satisfying taste.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick & Easy: Uses basic ingredients and minimal preparation time.
• Family Heirloom: A cherished recipe passed down through generations.
• Customisable: Works with homemade or store-bought rice flour.

   

  Love Nendhra Pazhams a delightful banana variety, then explore a  few more Nendhra Pazham Recipes here... and don't miss the Pazham Pori Recipe too..
  

   

Perfect for Tea Time: Kerala’s Nalumani Palaharam

    In Kerala, tea time is more than just a break – it's a ritual. We call it Nalumani Palaharam, which translates to the "4 o'clock snacks." Every region has its own take on teatime snacks, but Kerala's wide variety of Nadan Palaharangal (local snacks) really stands out. While some of these snacks have made their way into local bakeries and stores, many still remain hidden in the kitchens of families, passed down through generations. This Nendhra Pazha Appam is one such gem.

 

If you are a fan of Kerala Nadan Palaharams, then please do try recipes like Kozhukatta, Unniyappam and Ela Ada

 

The Secret Ingredient: Love from My MIL’s Kitchen

    When you’ve got overripe Nendhra Pazham (plantains) lying around, this is the perfect recipe to use them up! It’s a snack my mother-in-law (MIL) often makes, and I’ve seen her whip it uptime and again. It's one of her specialities that I absolutely adore. Today, as a special tribute to her on her birthday, I’m sharing her Nendhra Pazha Appam recipe, just as it’s written on her handwritten recipe card.

    A big thank you to Amma for passing down this heirloom recipe to me. I'm thrilled to share it with you all today!

നേന്ത്ര പഴ അപ്പം - Recipe Credit: @ ഓമന ജേക്കബ്

Nendhra Pazham Appam: A Hidden Gem from Our Family Kitchen

    Every family has its own set of cherished recipes – those beloved snacks, sweets, and savouries that have been passed down through the years. These recipes might not be widely known, but they are always treasured family favourites. Nendhra Pazham Appam is one such recipe from our heirloom collection, and alongside it, we have our iconic Nadan Palaharam – the so-called “Ball.” Over time, I plan to share more of these hidden gems from our family kitchen and invite anyone reading this to share their own favourite family snacks. I’d love to try them and post about them here!

 

Explore a wide range of Traditional Kerala Snacks alias Kerala Nadan Palaharam Recipes here...

 

Nendhra Pazha Appam Recipe Overview

• Cuisine - Kerala (India)
• Recipe Type - Appam
• Difficulty - Medium
• Serves - 3-4
• Author - SM

Time Estimate

• Preparation Time - 15-25 Minutes
• Cooking Time - 20 -30 Minutes

   

  Explore More! For more recipes from our Family Repertoire, click here.