pal appam

My memories of Kerala, always start with the softest fluffiest kallu(toddy) appam and stew that my grandmother always made for christmas and easter. I also remember gulping down the toddy and topping it with water without anyone seeing. My grandma's appam making process starts 2 days prior to christmas. She buys the special rice, soaks it, then place it on a sheet to dry, then pound it, sift, fry the sifted flour, mix with toddy and sugar...I haven't eaten the traditional appam for 25 years now.. But I make my own version of easy appam.. comes almost close to the original version.

Ingredients
rice flour(I use thai brand and make sure itsn't glutinous rice flour) I packet,400gm
coconut milk powder. 1 packet(60 gm)
instant yeast 1 t spn
sugar 4 tbl spn
salt
water

warm half cup water to blood heat and add a table spn of sugar and yeast.. Keep it till the yeast is frothy.
In a microwave safe bowl, mix one cup of water and 2 t spn rice flour well.. cook it the microwave on high for abt 2 mint stirring every 10 sec till it thickens.cool to blood heat.
(Note: tradiationally, the rice flour & water mix is cooked over the fire, till it is thickened. But I prefer the microwave method, only draw back is opening the microwave every 10 sec to stir..but it is fast. If the bottom part of the mix is too clumpy, don't worry, add a few table spn of warm water and stir well)
In a bowl, mix the remaining flour,coconut milk powder, sugar, salt, yeast, the cooked rice mix and 1 1/2 cup of water. Mix well.. If the batter is too thick, add a little bit more water. Close the bowl, keep it for 6 hours till it is fermented. I use a small wok with a lid to make the appam.. If you go to India, buy a nonstick appam chatti. makes 25 appams