Appe Recipe | Paddu

Soak Rice, Lentils & Make Batter

1. First rinse the lentils - urad dal, moong dal and chana dal 3 to 4 times with water. Soak the lentils with ½ cup water in a bowl for 4 hours.
2. Next rinse the rice 3 to 4 times with water. Soak the rice in 2 cup water for 4 hours.
3. Before blending or grinding, rinse the poha a few times in water. Drain all the water and set aside.
4. Drain water from the soaked lentils and rice. Set aside.
5. Take the soaked lentils in a blender or mixer-grinder. Add ¼ cup water or as needed to make thick or medium-thick batter with a fine consistency.
6. Transfer the lentil batter to a bowl or pan.
7. Add the soaked rice and rinsed poha to the same blender or mixer-grinder jar.
8. Pour ½ cup water and grind or blend the soaked rice grains and poha to a fine grainy batter or to a smooth fine batter.
9. Transfer the rice and poha batter to the same bowl or pan containing the lentil batter. Add edible rock salt.
10. Mix both the batters thoroughly. Cover with lid and let the batter ferment for 8 to 9 hours or more as needed.
11. Remember that the time required for the batter to ferment will depend on the room temperature.
12. Once the batter has fermented perfectly, you can begin to prepare appe. If you plan not to, keep the fermented batter in the fridge.

Make Tempering

1. The tempering is optional. You can skip this part and make Appe with the fermented batter.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan.
3. Keep heat to medium low. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. When they start spluttering, add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
4. Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Also add asafoetida.
5. Sauté until onions soften, stirring often. Or you can sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add this tempering mix to the appe batter. Add chopped coriander leaves. Mix thoroughly.

Make Appe

1. Heat appe pan. Keep heat to medium-low or medium heat.
2. Add ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon oil or as needed, in each mould. Let the oil become slightly hot.
3. With spoonful of batter, fill each mould up to ¾ of its volume. Fill the moulds along the circumference first, followed by the center ones.
4. This is because the center appe cook quickly as the heat source is usually in the center.
5. Regulate the heat as needed depending on the stovetop burner design and the pan size and thickness.
6. Cover the appe pan with lid and cook until the batter on top looks firm and the base has become crispy and golden.
7. Turn over each appe and cook the top side. Now there is no need to cover with lid.
8. Cook until golden all over. If one of the sides look less golden then turn over again and cook until crispy and more golden.
9. Remove and serve hot or keep them in a hot pot or casserole so that they stay warm.
10. Serve with coconut chutney, green coriander chutney, peanut chutney or ginger chutney.