Appam

You'll need

• 1 cup raw rice, soaked 4 hours
• 1/4 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed

Method

1. Blend the soaked rice, cooked rice and coconut with a little water to a smooth batter.
2. Stir in sugar and salt, and let it ferment overnight at room temperature.
3. Heat a small, curved appam pan, swirl in a ladle of batter, tilting the pan so it coats the sides thinly.
4. Cover and cook until the centre is soft and the edges are golden and lacy.

Why this dish

Fermented rice batters like this are warming after fermentation despite starting raw, which is why appam sits well with Vata, and the thin, airy centre keeps it light enough for Kapha.