Appams

Soft at the centre and crispy thin lace at the edges is what characterises any 'Appam'. Made from rice, fermented with coconut palm toddy and flavoured with coconut milk, these appams evoke a kind of nostalgia in many.

Although many add sugar or eggs to appams we feel this practice smothers the distinctively sweet, rich aroma of coconut. This distinctive aroma of the coconut is created by derivatives of saturated fatty acids called lactones (octa-, deca-, dodeca-, tetradeca- lactones) — The same lactones that also flavours Mangoes. You would not add eggs to mangoes, would you?

Lauric acid, found in large quantities in both coconut and in mother's milk, has strong antifungal and antimicrobial properties. This fatty acid has protected tropical populations from bacteria and fungus for centuries.

Aarina, had the appams with sardine curry, while I enjoyed it with potato and herb baji. Lip- smacking!