Aapam & Coconut milk - The delicious duo

Can memories be delicious? Can memories be fragrant? I will always say (even if you wake me up in the middle of night) the answer is a big YES.

One such delicious, fragrant and nostalgic memory attacks me whenever I see that whole coconut in the grocery store.

My Mom has a special way to shower us with love… no not hugs or kisses or even words but through actions. She believed actions spoke more than words..She was remarkably good at it … Infact she had wheezing problems, joint pains and other pains that womenhood brings along but she still would wake up at 3 or 4 am in the morning and  cook us delicious breakfast and lunch. Lunch would have atleast 2 or 3 vegetable curries. Weekends would be culinary treats.

When I left home for my graduation and stayed in the hostel …naturally I craved for home food. When I came home for a vacation, the menu will be filled with my favourites the topper in that list will be “AAPAM THENGAI PAAL” Oh GOD those spongy centers with crispy edges soaked in fresh coconut milk. It was a combination to die for…. Now when I am a mom I realise, more than what I did before, how difficult it is to be like my mom She was a super mom I love you amma
ok now back to the grocery store .. as the craving for AAPAM THENGAI PAAL sets its foot on my brain, one of the coconuts will travel home for sure. It will stay in the fridge till the planets and stars fall into the perfect position ..I mean the day comes when I don’t forget to soak the rice for aapam Bless my memory power

Next will be the battle between Vicky and the coconut. It’s quite a challenge you know staying here in an apartment.. He does not have the equipment required to break the coconut, so the rubber mallet is used alternatively. He cannot hit it on the floor or make lots of noise  either. Anyway somehow he manages to break it every time .

Then comes the turn of the extracting the milk out of the coconut, make aapams ..soak them in the milk and eat them … Its HEAVEN on plate for me

Vicky loves to eat Aapams with Chicken curry, its good too.

Actually next to my mom I guess Nalas Aapa Kadai in Chennai make wonderful Aapams. When we were in Chennai we used to visit them regularly

hmm ok now to the recipe

AAPAM & COCONUT MILK

What’s needed:-

Aapam

• 1.5 Cups of Raw rice
• 0.5 cup of Parboiled rice
• 0.5 cup of Urad dal
• 1 Tbsp of Fenugreek seeds
• a Pinch of baking soda
• Salt to taste

Coconut milk

• 3/4 th of a fresh coconut – Grated or dice the flesh into small pieces ( have some mercy on the blender or the mixer grinder)
• Water
• a pinch of salt
• Sugar to taste
• 2 cardamoms

How To’s

The Batter-

1. Wash and soak all the ingredients together for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grind to a smooth batter, not very watery as we will add coconut milk to it later.
3. Take batter in a large bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and beat together.
4. Let it rest and ferment overnight or atleast for 8 hours

The Coconut Milk

1. Place the coconut flesh and equal amounts of water in a blender jar ( I use Preethi)… Add cardomoms and puree well
2. Pour the mixture into a strainer and press the pulp through the strainer, catching the milk in a bowl below.
3. Squeeze the leftover pulp to extract any leftover milk.
4. Reserve about 1/2 to 1 cup of the milk to add to the Aapam batter before cooking
5. Add sugar and salt to the rest of the milk.

Now comes the fun part – Making Aapams

1. Take the amount of batter that you will like to use and add the reserved coconut milk and baking soda to the batter and mix well.  (The amount of batter can serve 4 to 5 people so decide accordingly, always add the milk and soda only when you are going to use the batter immediately)
2. Now heat the aapam kadai ( or even a normal one should do) just that the aapam take the shape of the kadai.
3. Slightly grease it if its not non-stick.
4. Pour a ladle of batter into center of the kadai, pick the kadai in your hands promptly, holding to the handles and give the whole kadai and good nice swirl
5. This will make the aapam batter spread, but newtons law plays the wonderful part..the batter on the sides tend to flow to the center.
6. The result you have crispy edges and a spongy center. Close the kadai and let the aapam cook.  Now hats off to our ancestor for this wonderful recipe
7. You can be little creative and make Flower shaped or candy wrapper shape aapams tooo

I used to watch the aapam chef at NALAS AAPA KADAI with my eyes wide open in amazement, my GOD he makes aapam in 4 to 5 kadais simultaneously ..I am quite challenged when it comes to multitasking so no wonder my eyes open so wide

How to eat the aapam

Style 1 – Serve the coconut milk in a bowl , tear the aapam into small pieces dip in the milk and eat

Style 2- Pour the coconut milk on the aapam, while the spongy center soaks eat the crispy edges first and then eat the soaked center

Hope you will love this delicous duo too…Take a bite if you want

I am sending this terrific combo to “THE COMBO EVENT” at Pari’s Foodelicious blog

Cheers

Koki