Appam is a simple sweet that can accommodate itself into any occasion… household snack or a festive sweet. Like the Vadai, this one is a comfort food for all purposes. The distinguishing quality is the simplicity involved in the making of appam. The versatility of vadai was written in the post on vadai (dosaikal.com/ulundhu vadai); I shall call Appam the sweet version of salted vadai in terms of Versatility.

It is also a healthy snack with whole wheat flour and jaggery. A plain appam can be made with whole wheat flour and jaggery as main ingredients. This one has the added flavor of banana. It is almost a fried version of banana cake. Hence, it can also be a remedy for finishing off those over-ripe soft bananas left in the fruit basket, not fit to be had as a fruit anymore.

It is certainly a quick sweet for unexpected guests. It can be made very fast, with jaggery syrup ready in fridge. Even without the syrup, appam batter can be mixed in a jiffy with or without blender, with hands or egg beater too. It can also be an awesome holiday snack or a rainy day comfort snack.

Apart from the special sweets made for specific festivals, Appam can be a sweet made for many festivals and orthodox prayer days as a quick morning Puja Delicacy.

 

Jaggery Syrup

1. In a pan/vessel, immerse jaggery in just enough water
2. Once jaggery is dissolved, strain for impurities
3. Keep the strained jaggery water in a pan on stove, add cardamom powder and dry ginger powder
4. Boil the mixture till it thickens a bit, say for 5 mins till the syrup takes the flavor of the powders well
5. Cool and store the syrup in fridge
6. Use when needed in sweets.

Vaazhai Pazha Appam/Banana Appam  (Banana Whole Wheat Fritters)

Ingredients (makes appr. 40 appams)

 

 

• vaazhai pazham/ripe banana -2 no.s
• gothumai maavu/whole wheat flour – 2 cups
• arisi maavu/rice flour – 2 tblsp
• vellam/jaggery – 1 cup
• uppu/salt – a pinch
• baking soda – 1/2 spoon
• elakkai podi/cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• chukku podi/dry ginger powder – 1 tsp
• water – as much required for dissolving jaggery
• oil – for deep frying

 

Method of Preparation

Different Versions of Appam

I. Deep-fried Appam

 

The below given recipe is the deep fried version.

1. Dissolve jaggery in just enough water and filter for impurities
2. Mash the well ripen bananas
3. In a mixer-grinder bowl, mix whole wheat flour, rice flour, mashed bananas, jaggery water, salt, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and baking soda and blend to a fine paste
4. Use little water initially to dissolve jaggery, so that if more water is needed to make a medium consistency batter, water can be added then
5. Heat oil in a frying pan
6. Pour the batter through a spoon and fry till done
7. Appams would be soft and fluffy because of the addition of baking soda.

II. Less oil Appam – Vaazhai Pazha Paniyaaram

Paniyaara Chatti/Pan used to make Paniyaaram (dosaikal.com/paniyaram), can be used for a low fat, less oil Appam. Just grease the moulds of pan with little oil or pour 1/2 tsp of oil in each mould and fry both sides. The non-fried appam is called inippu paniyaram/sweet paniyaaram.

 

1. Pour very little oil in the paniyaaram moulds
2. Use the same batter and fry on both sides

III. Healthier version using Palm jaggery  –  Karuppatti Appam or Paniyaaram

Substitute the jaggery (made from sugar cane) with palm jaggery (made from palm). Palm jaggery is the same as jaggery, in the shape of a small-hard ball. Dissolve in water, strain for impurities and use as in recipe. Deep fry or use paniyaara chatti as preferred.

 

IV. Using powdered palm sugar – Karuppatti Appam or Paniyaaram

 

Using powdered palm sugar is the easiest and healthiest of all. The dissolving and filtering process of jaggery can be omitted and mixed directly with the other ingredients. Deep fry or use paniyaara chatti as preferred.

 

1. Using palm sugar makes the batter darker and appam more brown in colour. The taste is almost the same but be rest assured about the high nutrient qualities of palm sugar in comparison to cane jaggery
2. For 2 cups of wheat flour, 2  well ripen mashed bananas and 1 1/2 cups of powdered palm sugar (instead of 1 cup of jaggery)
3. Substitute the jaggery in the recipe with powdered palm sugar and follow the same instruction for deep fried or paniyaaram version of Appam
4. Deep fry or use Paniyaara chatti a preferred.

Note:

1. Quantity of jaggery/palm sugar can be altered as per preferences.
2. Grated coconut (1/4 cup)  can be added for additional flavor.
3. Usage of rice flour aids in crisper appams.
4. Keep a watch with water. Less water can be rectified by adding more water. More water needs more flour and more mashed bananas, which might create chaos.
5. Always use well ripen very soft bananas for soft flavorful appam.