Appam and Chicken Stew

Overview
Appam is kind of like a crepe but made with fermented rice flour and coconut milk. Very popular traditional breakfast of Kerala. Usually eaten with beef or chicken stew which is also made with coconut milk. Appams are made in traditional pans which are curved in the center which gives the Appam the unique shape with lace like sides and soft center.

Ingredients for Appam
Rice 2 cups
Cocconut milk - 1 cup
Yeast - 1 tablespoons
Salt a pinch
Sugar - 4 tablespoons
Water as needed to make a crepe like batter

Steps for Appam
1. Soak rice in plenty of water for about 8 hours. Drain and keep aside.

2. In a blender grind the drained soaked rice with coconut milk( Luke warm - warm coconut milk in microwave for few seconds), salt, sugar and yeast  to a smooth paste.

3. Cover and keep aside for about 1 - 2 hours till the batter is fermented and rises up.

4. Pour spoonful of batter to the appam pan and swirl it around  to cover the whole area of the pan and cover and cook the appam. After about few minutes 2 - 3 minutes remove lid and take the appam out.

Serve hot with Chicken stew

Ingredients for Chicken Stew
Chicken breast - 2 pounds
Medium size potatoes - 2
Carrots 2 large
Red Onions - 1 1/2 - thin sliced
Green chilly - 4 - 6 split in center
Ginger 3 inch piece - thin sliced
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Cinnamon - 2 inch
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut milk   - 1st milk - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 2 nd milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons

Steps for Chicken stew
1. Slice the  chicken breasts to bite size chunks and keep aside

2. Peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into chunks and keep aside.

3. In a heavy bottom pan  mix the chicken pieces with one cup water, one sliced onions, ginger, green chilly 2 sprigs of curry leaves, salt, pepper powder and all the whole spices. Cook till the chicken is done.

4. Mix the potatoes and carrots to the chicken and cook few more minutes with the second coconut milk  till the potatoes and carrots are cooked well.

5. Add the second milk and bring to boil and then turn off heat.

6. In a separate pan heat the oil. When the oil gets hot add 1/2 the red onions thin sliced. Saute it till the onions brown. Add one sprig of curry leaves separated and fry few more minutes.

7. Pour this oil mixture over the stew and serve hot.