Kallappam

Kallappam is one of those breakfasts that carries the taste of old Kerala kitchens. Made with raw rice, coconut, and fermented the natural way using kallu (fresh toddy), this is not the quick, instant kind of appam. It takes time, and that’s what makes it special.

I soak raw rice for a few hours and grind it along with grated coconut, a small portion of cooked rice, cumin seeds, and shallots. The mix is thick and smooth — not too runny. Into this goes fresh toddy, which acts as the natural fermenting agent. I don’t use yeast or baking soda here — the batter rests overnight, and by morning, it rises beautifully, with that gentle sour smell that tells me it’s ready.

Cooking is easy. I heat a tawa or cast iron pan, pour in a ladle of batter — slightly thicker than a dosa — and cover it with a lid. No need to flip. In a few minutes, the surface cooks through, little holes form, and the bottom gets a light golden base.

Kallappam has a soft, spongy bite, and a hint of sweetness from the coconut. I love serving it with mutton curry, egg roast, or even just a light vegetable stew. It soaks up gravies well and tastes even better when warm and fresh.

What makes this kallappam special to me is the use of toddy. It gives a flavour that no packaged yeast can imitate — slightly tangy, deeply nostalgic, and unmistakably traditional.

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Kallappam

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Grilling, Steaming Cuisine: Kerala Courses: Breads, Breakast, Dinner, Vegetarian

Difficulty: Advanced Prep Time 6 hrs Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 6 hrs 20 mins

Cooking Temp: 120  C Servings: 6

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 3 cup Raw Rice
• 1 cup Coconut grated
• 1 cup Toddy (Kallu)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
• 4 tablespoon Sugar
• a pinch Salt

Instructions

1. Soak raw rice for at least 3 hours.
2. Drain the water and grind the rice into a fine powder using a mixer.
3. Sieve the rice powder to separate the fine powder from the coarse particles (called tarang). Keep the coarse particles aside.
4. Take 1/4 cup of the coarse particles and cook with some water on medium flame, stirring continuously, to make a thick paste (kappi kachal). Let it cool.
5. Grind coconut into a thick paste using enough water.
6. In a large bowl, combine the fine rice powder, the cooled kappi paste, the coconut paste, toddy, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
7. Keep the mixture in a warm place overnight to ferment.
8. In the morning, add cardamom powder and mix the batter. If needed, adjust the consistency with a little water.
9. Heat a tawa or flat pan. Pour a ladle of batter onto the pan. Do not spread it; let it spread on its own.
10. When bubbles appear on the surface, cover the pan and cook until the top is set. Flip and cook the other side if desired.
11. Serve hot with mutton stew, vegetable stew, or any curry of your choice.