An appam or vellayappam is a type of thin pancake originating from South India.
Etymology
"Appam" (also
aapa,
appe) may derive from the
Sanskrit word (अपूप
apupa), which refers to a type of "fried dainty."
[The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine - Page 27-Colleen Taylor Sen, Sourish Bhattacharyya, Helen Saberi · 2023]
History
Vir Sanghvi, an Indian journalist, quotes food historian K. T. Achaya and states that the appam is mentioned in the
Tamil language Sangam literature, in works like Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai.
Achaya states that appams were well-established in
Tamilakam as mentioned in Sangam, with poems also describing appams along with modakam being sold at street markets in ancient city of
Madurai.
[Food in Pathupattu Part III Maduraikanchi - Achaya, K.T. Indian Food: A Historical Companion. Oxford University Press 1994][Champakalakshmi R. Trade, ideology and Urbanization South India 300 BC to 1300 AD. Oxford University Press India 1996.]
Appams are a close relative of dosas. Early dosas were made from rice batter and later black lentils were introduced, and since then black lentils have become an integral component of dosa.
Appams have a rich history in the island nation of Sri Lanka.
Variations
Idiyappam
Idiyappam (string hopper or noolputtu) are made from rice noodles curled into flat spirals. They are served for breakfast with a thin curry of fish or chicken, containing only one or two pieces of meat, a dhal (lentil) dish, and a spicy
sambol or fresh
chutney.
Kiri hodi or sodhi, a type of coconut milk curry, is another popular accompaniment to idiyappam. String hoppers are made from steamed rice flour made into a dough with water and a little salt, and forced through a mould similar to those used for pasta to make the strings. They are cooked by steaming. Some people even sprinkle grated coconut on the rice noodles. These hoppers can be bought ready-made. In India and Sri Lanka, string hoppers can be served as both a breakfast meal and as dinner. There are many variations to hoppers, depending on, for example, the type of flour used. This simple dish can be adapted into other foods such as string hopper
biriyani, by adding scrambled eggs or vegetables.
Achappam
Achappam are deep-fried rose cookies made with rice.
Kuzhalappam
Kuzhalappams are a typical Syrian Christian-Saint Thomas Christians dish, a fried crisp curled up like a tube.
Neyyappam
Neyyappam owe their origins to Kerala and have been a traditional offering in Hindu temples for God.
They are made with rice flour,
jaggery and clarified butter
ghee, which is the traditional method of making Nei appams. The different culture and religious practices introduced variations to the dish.
Unni Appam are a variation in which mashed plantain is added to the batter. The batter is made out of rice flour, jaggery and plantain and is poured into a vessel called appakarai or appakaram, which has ghee heated to a high temperature. The appams take the shape of small cups and are fried until deep brown.
Kallappam
Kallappams are a traditional breakfast item of Kerala. They are made from fermented rice flour and coconut batter. Christians in Kerala prepare them on special occasions like
Easter.
The name is derived from
kallu, Malayalam for
palm toddy, the ingredient traditionally used for fermenting the rice flour. In modern preparation of the dish, yeast has replaced toddy.
Pesaha appam
Pesaha appam are made by Nasrani Christians in Kerala during
Pesaha (Passover). This type of appam is dipped in syrup or
pesaha pal (Passover coconut milk) before being served.
Vattayappam
Vattayappams are made from rice flour, sugar, and coconut. They are an oil-free tea-time snack in a majority of households in Kerala.
The dish is made by steam-cooking the batter and is very similar to the bánh bò from
Vietnam.
Burmese apon
Appams called
apon (အာပုံ) in
Burmese language are a common street food in
Burmese cuisine.
They are considered a delicacy of Southern Myanmar, in coastal towns like
Dawei and Myeik.
Kue apem
In
Indonesia, a variant of appam is known as
kue apem or
kue apam is a
kue, a traditional cake of steamed dough made of
rice flour,
coconut milk, yeast and
palm sugar, usually served with grated
coconut.
Indonesian households traditionally made kue apem communally for celebration and festivities, such as Keraton Yogyakarta,a traditionally held
Ngapem ceremony, where the royal household communally cooks it as a part of
Tingalan Jumenengan Dalem ceremony.
It is quite similar to
kue mangkok.
Roti jala
Roti jala, popular in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, is inspired from appam and traveled there from India likely in the 15th century.
See also
