Appam & Chicken Ball Stew: A Taste of Kerala
This recipe has three parts – the Appam, the Chicken Balls, and the Stew. It is a recipe that takes a long time and lots of love, but once it’s done, can be frozen and defrosted when you need to taste a little bit of that love and effort.
1. Appam
Ingredients
- Raw Rice: 2 cups
- Cooked Rice: 1 cup
- Grated Coconut: 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Sugar: 2 tsp (or as per choice)
- Baking soda: ⅛ tsp (2 pinch)
- Water or Coconut water: 1 ½ to 2 cups
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak raw rice for about 4 to 5 hours and drain.
Blend with cooked rice and grated coconut in a blender to get a smooth batter. (Note: You can add coconut water while grinding or instead of grated coconut you can use coconut milk if using coconut milk then no need to add water or add very little water.)
Leave the mixture for fermentation for 8 hours or overnight.
The pouring consistency should be like a slightly thinner pancake batter.
The batter craves warmth so during winter keep batter in the oven with nothing but the oven light on to help it ferment. The batter should have risen/puffed up and will have little fermentation holes on top. This is a good sign of fermentation!
1 hour before cooking mix sugar, baking soda and salt.
Heat non-stick appachatty or pan on a medium flame. Pour one ladleful of appam batter to the pan. Lift the pan from the stove and slightly twist around to spread the batter in the pan to make a circular shape.
Close it with a lid and cook till the edges are golden brown. When the Appam is ready the edges resemble crisp lace and centre soft.
Serve with Chicken Stew, Mutton Stew, Veg Stew or any Spicy Curry or even with coconut milk.
Note: Extra batter can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
2. Chicken balls
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken –500 gm, cut into small pieces
- Onion – 1cup, finely chopped
- Thai Green chillies chopped very fine – 6-7 (optional or as per choice)
- Ginger, finely chopped – 1/2 tbsp
- Garlic, finely chopped – 1/2 tbsp
- Pepper powder – 2 tsp (optional or as per choice)
- Garam masala powder – 1 tsp● Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Egg white – of 2 eggs
- Corn flour – 3 tbsp
- Oil – For deep-frying
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook chicken and salt in pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Set aside to cool. Note: save the chicken stock for curry
Once cooled, mince the cooked chicken.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add the chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic. Sauté until their raw smell is gone.
Add the chopped onion. Sauté until translucent.
Add the pepper powder, garam masala powder, turmeric and salt. Now add the minced chicken and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed. Stir until the moisture content is completely gone.
When it has cooled, shape into small balls.. Note: You can add 1\2 cup boiled potato incase if you are unable to make the ball shape.
Beat the egg white with corn flour.
Dip the chicken balls in the egg-white and corn flour mix.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken balls.
3. Potato stew
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 stick / 2 inches cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 3 sprigs curry leaves 2 inch piece ginger, sliced
- 2 medium sized onions, sliced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 2 medium sized potatoes, diced
- 4 green chillies, slit
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup thin coconut milk (second milk)
- 1/2 cup thick coconut milk (first milk)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds until the spices are aromatic.
Add in all the veggies. Onion, ginger,curry leaves, potatoes, peas, green chillies and salt.
Sauté it for 4 min, then add in half a cup of water to the pan.
Cook for 2 whistles. It will take anywhere between 7-10 minutes. Switch off the stove and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
Open the cooker and add in a cup of thin coconut milk (second milk).
Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then add half a cup of thick coconut milk. If using canned coconut milk, add 1 can coconut milk and switch off the flame.