Appam with egg roast

Method

1. Ahead (the morning before): rinse 280 g raw rice in a sieve 3 times and soak it in plenty of water for 5–6 hours.
2. Ahead (the evening before): stir ¾ tsp yeast and 3 tsp sugar into 60 ml lukewarm water (finger-warm, not hot). Leave 10 minutes, until it turns foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is dead; start again with fresh yeast.
3. Ahead: drain the rice. Grind it in the large mixer jar with 80 g thawed grated coconut and 360 ml (about 1½ cups) water, in 30-second bursts, for 3–4 minutes. Stop when it is completely smooth, like thick pouring cream, with no grit when you rub a drop between your fingers.
4. The night before: pour the batter into a large mixing bowl (no more than half full) and stir in the foamy yeast. Do not add salt yet, it slows the yeast. Cover loosely and leave in a warm spot for 8–10 hours. In an Australian winter, put it in the oven with only the light on (oven off).
5. Morning: the batter is ready when it has doubled, is full of bubbles and smells sweet and yeasty. Gently stir in half of the 1¾ tsp salt (the rest goes in the egg roast). It should be thinner than dosa batter, like pouring cream. Add a splash of water if it is thick. If you are not cooking within the hour, keep it in the fridge.
6. Put 6 eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil on high heat, then cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Cool in cold water for 5 minutes, peel, and make 3–4 shallow cuts down each egg.
7. Thinly slice 320 g (~2 medium) onion. Chop 120 g (~1 medium) tomato. Crush 15 g ginger and 6 cloves garlic together in the mortar.
8. Heat 1½ tbsp coconut oil in the kadai on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook 12–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until it is soft and deep golden brown. Take out a spoon of onion for a toddler now if needed.
9. Add ginger, garlic and ¾ sprig curry leaves and stir 1 minute until the raw smell goes.
10. Turn the heat to low. Add ¼ tsp turmeric, 3 tsp chilli powder, 3 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp garam masala and stir 30 seconds until fragrant; do not let them burn.
11. Add the tomato and the rest of the salt. Cook on medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the tomato is mushy and oil shows at the edges.
12. Add the eggs and 160 ml (about ¾ cup) water. Turn them gently in the masala on low heat for 3 minutes, until the masala clings to the eggs.
13. Heat the appachatti on medium heat for 2 minutes. Wipe the inside with a few drops of oil on a paper towel.
14. Pour one ladle of batter into the centre. Straight away, hold both handles and swirl the pan in one full circle so the batter climbs the sides in a thin layer and the centre stays thick. Put it back on the heat and cover.
15. Cook covered on medium heat for 2 minutes, until the edges are crisp, lacy and golden and the soft centre looks spongy with no wet shine. Lift it out with a spatula; do not flip. Repeat with the rest of the batter, wiping the pan with oil every 2–3 appams.

Tips

• For a toddler, serve appam with a plain boiled egg and the saved spoon of onion.

Make it easier

• The night before: Appam batter: grind soaked raw rice with coconut, sugar, yeast and water; leave to ferment overnight.

Keeping and freezing

• Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
• Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

• Contains: egg.
• Asthma: buy frozen grated coconut without sulphites (220–228).
• Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.