<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Aruna has been kind enough to key in another GF recipe for us. I find the
process described below to be most interesting. Don.
 
 
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 11:47:40 -0500
From: Aruna Viswadoss <[log in to unmask]>
To: Don Wiss <[log in to unmask]>
 
Okay Don! Here is a recipe for "Aappam" -- a South Indian sponge
type bread made with rice.
For about 6 aappams, soak 1 heaping cup of rice (do not use Uncle
Ben's or Basmati... Jasmine is fine)
Soak the rice overnight in room temp. water (3 cups).
The next morning, take 1/4 cup of cooked and cooled rice, 1/3 cup
of fresh grated coconut, (if not available, use the dry shredded
unsweetened type) and keep ready.
Grind the rice in a blender after draining most of the water (add
up to half and inch of water above the rice level in the blender)
until smooth. (Feel the ground mixture between your fingers and
it should not feel grainy, but smooth more or less). While the
motor is running, add the coconut from the lid hole, and next,
add the cooked rice. Grind till smooth. Add 1/4 cup more water if
needed.
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 2/3 teaspoon
of yeast to this rice batter. Keep covered in a warm place (I
keep it near a heating device, or turn the oven on barely warm,
turn it off after 3 minutes, and place this in there.) Make sure
you have stirred this mixture well before letting it ferment.
It only takes about 3 to 4 hours to ferment. (Once fermented,
you can keep the batter in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days).
 
Now it will look very airy and bubbly. Stir it gently top to
bottom like folding in cream or egg whites.
Heat a wok (yes, that is right) on medium high, and smear the
bottom with peanut or sesame oil (use veg. oil if you like)
When warm, (not smoky hot), add a ladleful of the batter, and
quickly rotate the wok gently so that the batter covers an area
about 8 inches in diameter. The idea is to have a pancake like
thing that is thick in the center, and really thin around the
edges. Cover this immediately.
After 30 seconds or so, remove cover to see if it is cooked. The
color would have changed from a milky white to a translucent
white. Lift it off gently using a spatula. Serve immediately.
Do not stack these. Place them spread out on a bamboo plate or
in individual plates.
 
Side dish for Aappam:
Rich but damn tasty coconut milk curry.
Fry some fennel seeds, cloves, and cardamoms on a tsp of oil. Add
chopped onions, garlic, green chillies, and minced ginger. Add
salt and fry well. Next, add one fresh tomato chopped (optional),
some chopped mint leaves, and some boiled potatoes and/or
cauliflower. Add a pinch of turmeric, and 2 cups of coconut
milk. (you might mix 1 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of plain
milk).
Serve separately, or pour over aappams and eat with fingers.
 
Egg curry for Aappam:
Hard boil 2 eggs.
Chop half an onion, 1 large tomato, 4 green chillies, and mince
some ginger and garlic together.
Heat 1 tablespoon of veg. oil. Add 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon powder,
1/2 tsp turmeric, and the onions, and green chillies. Add salt,
and the minced garlic and ginger. Fry till onions turn golden
brown.
Add 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder (this curry is supposed to be
killer hot, and I would add 1 heaped teasp usually), the tomato
pieces, and fry till pulpy. Slit the eggs from top to bottom
keeping it whole still so that the masala will seep in.
Add eggs to gravy, add 1/3 cup water, and let it evaporate.
 
Serve hot.
 
Garlic sambal:
Grind 3 large cloves of garlic, 1/2 tomato (optional), 10 red
chillies roasted in oil or plain roasted, 2 shallots, and 10
raisins till smooth. Add some salt and sesame oil in the end. Mix
well.
 
Serve all these with the Aappams.  Gosh that is making me hungry!
 
Aruna