Appam-from-Samai

#AppamfromSamai #AppamfromLittleMillet :
#Samai [ #SamaiArisi ] is known as #LittleMillet in English.
Scientific Name   : Panicum miliare
Its name in different languages
Tamil                     : Samai or Samai arisi
Malayalam            : Chama
Kannada                : Same
Telugu                   : Sama
Hindi                     : Kutki

#Millet varieties are gluten free and non acid forming cereals.
They are rich in minerals and vitamins.
The nutritional composition per 100 gm of #Samai { #LittleMillet ] is as follows
Protein 7.7 g, Fiber 7.6 g, Iron 9.3 mg and Calcium 17.0 mg
The fiber content of Samai is higher compared to that of rice and wheat.

The millet has to be soaked for a minimum of two hours before cooking to reap the health benefits fully. And also soaking the millet before cooking helps the body to absorb its nutrients well.

Everyone thinks that #Appam is widely done only in Kerala.
But #Appam with #CoconutMilk is a favorite combo in Tamizh cuisine. The batter [ dough ] preparation  completely differs from Kerala style.
Boiled rice, raw rice, fenugreek [ #Venthayam ], black gram and thuvar dal are soaked and then made into a batter [ dough ] either using wet grinder or mixie. The batter [ maavu ] thus made has to be fermented for a whole night or six to eight hours before making appam over a dosai kal or appachatty.

This time for a change and also to consume millet in a new way I have included Samai [ LittleMillet ] to prepare appam. I have reduced the quantity of boiled rice and included samai instead of raw rice.

Here I have used whole black gram with its skin. Whole blackgram [ muzhu ulundu ] and Feugreek [ Venthayam ] takes 6 to 8 hours to get soaked completely. So we have to plan accordingly. If you want to grind in the evening, then soak them in the morning itself and if you are planning to grind in the morning, then soak the previous night itself.

In general I have been using a wet grinder to grind maavu for Idli, Appam and dosai. This time I used mixie to grind batter [ maavu ]  as the quantity of soaked items happens to be less.

Ingredients :
1 1/2 Cup	Samai [ Little millet ]
1/2 Cup	Boiled Rice [ Idli Rice ]
2 Tsp	Black gram [ Muzhu ulundu ]
2 Tsp	Fenugreek [ Venthayam ]
2 Tsp	Thuvar dal [ Thuvaram paruppu ]
2 Tsp	Salt

Gingelly oil [ sesame/til oil ] or groundnut oil to make appam

Method :
I have planned to grind in the morning after breakfast.

Previous night :
Take fenugreek [ venthayam ] and whole black gram in a small vessel. Wash two or three times and add 3/4 cup of water. allow to Soak the whole night.

Morning :
As soon as you get up in the morning, before making tea or coffee for the day soak boiled rice, samai and thuvar dal in a vessel after washing thoroughly.
After finishing breakfast take soaked black gram and fenugreek in a mixie jar with little water.
Run the mixie for 2 minute.
Open the jar clean the sides and add little water and run for 2 - 3 minutes.
Again open and add some more water and grind.
Like this grind them till the maavu becomes fluffy.
It takes around 10 - 12 minutes to grind black gram and fenugreek mixture.
Transfer the maavu into a big vessel.

Now take samai, boiled rice and thuvar dal in the same mixie jar.
Add 1/4 cup of water and grind into a smooth paste.
In between stop mixie, open the jar, clean inside surface of the jar and if necessary add little water and then resume grinding.
Finally add salt and run for few seconds.
Transfer into the same vessel containing fenugreek- blackgram maavu.


Mix well with hand.
The batter [ maavu ] consistency should be just like dosai batter.
Close the vessel with a lid and keep it undisturbed either on the kitchen platform
or at a warmer place in the house to ferment.

It takes around 6 - 8 hours to ferment and ready to make appam.
After fermentation the batter raises up and sometimes spilled over if the vessel in which the batter has been kept is small.

Making Appam over Dosai kal [ Dosa kal ] :

Heat Dosai kal on a stove over medium flame.
Take a small clean cotton cloth of 3*3 cm and fold it four or five times.
Soak that folded cloth in little oil and apply over hot dosai kal.
Keep two ladle full of appam batter [ appam maavu ] at the center of the dosai kal.
Spread evenly by the back of the ladle and make a perfect circle.
Close the dosai kal with a lid.
Allow to cook.
Open after a minute.
If the appam looks golden here and there and along the rim, take out appam using dosai ladle.
If not, again close the kal with lid and cook for some more time.
No need to flip and cook the other side.
Transfer on to a plate.
Again spread oil using the cloth and make another appam.


Relishing :
Unbeatable accompaniment is Jaggery mixed Coconut milk as I told in the introduction.

Or Have with Coconut Chutney

or with Idli milagai podi

or with spicy Wet Garlic red chutney.

Or Enjoy with any chutney of your choice.


Note :
To prepare jaggery mixed coconut milk :
Extract milk from coconut scrapings.
Add jaggery, a pinch of salt and Cardamom powder. Mix well.




You might also like to try

Samai Arisi Pongal [ Little millet Pongal ]	Samai Arisi Upma [ Little millet Upma ]	Samai Arisi Thaengai Payasam
Kuthiraivaali Sundal [ Barnyard millet Sundal ]	Samai Mudakathan dosai [ Little millet mudakathan dosai ]	Samai Methy Pancake [ Little millet methy pancake ]

For other Samai Recipes

Samai [ Little Millet ] Recipes

For spicy accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Recipes

For different varieties of Appam

Appam Varieties