Vella Appam (PK John)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of white rice
Half a coconut
1 table spoon of yeast
Sugar
Salt
2 table spoon of partially ground, cooked rice

METHOD:
Soak the washed rice for 3 to 4 hours. Wash and drain. Grind the soaked rice in a blender with just enough water so that the ground material will be thick. In the early stages of grinding take out about two table spoon of the partially ground rice and keep it apart for cooking and later mixing.(This will be called KURUKKU). Mix separately 1 teaspoonful of yeast, quarter cup of luke warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar and allow the mixture to rise. Grind the coconut to a milky emulsion. Mix your ground rice, 'Kurukku'(cook the partially ground rice saved earlier like a thick porridge) the yeast mixture and ground coconut Allow the mixture to ferment for about 6 hours. Add sugar and salt as your taste dictates. You can add a little coconut milk to adjust the consistency. (You can add one beaten up egg at this stage if you fear appams sticking to the pan.- Alternately you can wrap a half fried egg in cloth and use it to rub the frying area of your pan.) Now put the mixture in a warm oven for 2 hours just before you make the Appams After it rises DO NOT STIR. Use a cast iron pan and use the same technique that one uses for pancakes.