Coconut-less Appams

Clean the rice and wash it well.

Soak it for 4 hours in water.

Then put 1 1/2 cups of water in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add semolina to it and stir well to ensure that no lumps are formed.

An easy way to do this is to use your electric blender and blend the water-semolina mixture well before you proceed any further with the recipe.

Cook the semolina-water mixture for 5 minutes or until the semolina is soft and cooked.

Allow to cool.

Grind the soaked rice alongwith the cooked semolina mixture in a mixer.

If need be, you may add a little water.

Grind this mixture until it resembles the consistency of dosa batter.

Add the dry yeast and grind again.

Allow the batter to ferment overnight.

Add salt and sugar the following morning and mix well.

Now, put on your favourite chef apron start making the appams.

Heat a non-stick griddle{tava} on medium-high flame.

Pour in a large spoonful of the prepared batter and rotate the tava so that you have a thin layer of batter spread out all around and just a little more in the center{more in the center and less on the sides, but spread out all throughout}.

Cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Allow the appam to cook for a few minutes on low flame.

When done, the appam will have a soft raised area in the middle with a lacy area all around.

Likewise, repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with vegetable stew or chicken stew or with sambar and chutney{my way!

}.

Enjoy!