Easter special pulicha appam | Kottayam-style recipe

It is not quite a pancake. Not quite a hopper either. Soft, spongy, with a slight lift to it. Made from a fermented rice batter that turns gently tangy, with a hint of sweetness. Cooked in an appachatti, the texture sits somewhere between airy and rich.

Easter, in Kerala, is always about the breads on the table. Appams, crepes, hoppers, all lined up next to spicy meat curries. In many homes around Kottayam, Pulicha Appam is made ahead and cooked fresh as part of the Easter feast, pairing beautifully with rich, spicy meat curries.

Ingredients
For the batter:
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup black gram (soaked overnight)
500 gm palappam flour
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tsp yeast (activated)
1/2 cup slightly warm milk
1 cup milk
For the topping:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sliced shallots
1/4 cup curry leaves

Preparation
1. Prepare the rice paste
In a pan, combine rice flour, sugar and water. Cook on a low flame, stirring continuously until it thickens into a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.

2. Grind the black gram
Drain the soaked black gram and grind it into a fine, smooth paste with minimal water.

3. Make the batter
In a large bowl, combine palappam flour, ground black gram paste, sugar and salt. Add the activated yeast and warm milk. Mix well.

Add the cooled rice paste and 1 cup milk. Stir until you get a smooth, slightly thick batter. Cover and let it rest for about an hour, allowing it to rise lightly and develop a mild tang.

4. Prepare the topping
Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add sliced shallots and curry leaves. Sauté on a low flame until the shallots turn soft and slightly sweet. Set aside.

5. Cook the appam
Heat an appachatti. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it gently to a slightly thick layer. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

Once the top is set, add a portion of the sautéed shallots and curry leaves over it. Flip the appam and cook briefly on the other side.

Serving
Serve hot, straight from the pan. The appam will be soft and spongy, with a light tang from the batter and the sweetness of shallots on top. It pairs well with spicy meat curries, making it a perfect addition to an Easter table.