Appam with Coconut Milk Stew

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw rice, soaked
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1-inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Before you cook

• Soak the raw rice in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Drain the rice and blend it with the cooked rice, grated coconut, yeast, sugar and enough water to make a smooth, thick batter.
• Cover the batter and let it ferment in a warm spot for 6 to 8 hours, until bubbly and risen.
• Stir salt into the fermented batter and thin it with a little water to a pourable, cream-like consistency.
• Dice the potato and carrot and chop the green beans.

Steps

1. Heat the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves and cook for 3 minutes until the onion softens.
3. Stir in the turmeric, then add the potato, carrot and green beans.
4. Pour in the thin coconut milk and enough water to cover the vegetables.
5. Simmer for 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
6. Stir in the thick coconut milk and salt, then take the stew off the heat so it doesn't curdle.
7. Heat a small, rounded appam pan (or a wok) over medium heat.
8. Ladle in a portion of batter, then immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the sides thinly and pools thicker in the center.
9. Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the edges turn golden and lacy and the center is cooked through and spongy.
10. Lift the appam out with a flat spatula and set it aside.
11. Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring it between appams.
12. Serve the appams warm with the coconut stew spooned into the center.