Classic Nei Appam

 Nei Appam is one of the most important Neivedhiyams / Prasadams made during Janmashtami,  Ganesh Chaturthi,  Karthigai,  Avani Avittam and lot more poojas or rituals like Ganapathi Homam, Bhagavathi Sevai etc .

Instant version can be made using rice flour,but this is a classic version by soaking and grinding rice along with cardamom, ripe bananas and jaggery.  Adding grated coconut or slivered coconut bits gives a nice taste and texture to the appam. 

I add a teaspoon of udad dhall while soaking the rice, this gives a nice texture and softness to the Neiappams . By adding the udad dhall , we can avoid the use of cooking soda . Udad dhall automatically gives the appam the softness and fluffy texture. 

We can using melted jaggery syrup while grinding the appam batter or if we are using good quality powdered jaggery without dust, then we can add it to the rice while grinding. 

Grinding jaggery with rice is an easier way to seamlessly blend the rice and jaggery without lumps .

For Krishna Jayanthi, it is said that if we are unable to make  elaborate prasadams for Krishnar , we can offer 

Navaneetham (Butter + sugar candy)

Nei appam

Aval Payasam (Poha Kheer)

Thayir Aval / Gopalkaala (Dahi Poha)

Paal / Milk.

Preparation Time : 10min
Soaking Time : 4 hrs
Cooking Time : 30min
Complexity : medium

Ingredients 

1 cup rice (no basmati/fragrant rice)
1 tsp udad dhall
3/4 cup jaggery (use 1 cup if you like it very sweet)
1 ripe banana
2 to  3 cardamoms

Procedure

• Wash and soak the rice and udad dhall for 3 to 4 hrs
• Drain the water and add the soaked rice to the blender along with roughly chopped banana and cardamom seeds .
• Grind it to a fine paste adding water in batches. 
• If using organic jaggery powder ,add the jaggery powder to the blender and grind it to a smooth paste resembling Dosa batter .
• If you are doubtful about the jaggery,melt it using half cup water and strain it .
• Use this strained jaggery water for grinding the appam batter.
• Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl ,add a tsp of grated coconut or slivered coconut bits if you like .
• Beat it well with a whisk or spoon to incorporate air . The batter will feel light . Rest it for 30 to 40 mins
• Heat the appam pan , pour ghee into the cavities .
• Once the ghee has heated up,pour the appam batter into the cavities and cook on medium flame until the underside cooks well.
• Flip it over gently and let the other side cook until crisp and brown.
• Take it off from the appam pan and repeat the same steps for the entire batch of batter. 
• Tasty and delicious Nei appam is ready. 
• If you like you could also make Jackfruit Nei appam and Watermelon Nei appam  also .

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Karuppu Ulundhu Adai | Black lentil crepes (vegan)

 Karuppu ulundhu Adai is a very traditional breakfast made in Tamil Nadu . This is very filling and takes care of the carbs to protein ratio required  for a day.

Karuppu ulundhu is nothing but udad dhall (black lentil) with skin . The skin is actually the powerhouse of lot of nutrition.  Udad dhall /ulutham paruppu as we all know is very rich in proteins and also very good for bones. We must try and include these in our diet as much as possible . 

Unlike,regular dosa ,Karuppu Ulundhu Adai doesn't need fermentation and can be made immediately after grinding the batter . Since,  black lentils with husk are little tough we must soak them for a minimum of 6hrs before we can grind them . Pepper ,red chillies , asafoetida and  curry leaves are added for extra flavor and also for easy digestion. Tiny slivers of fresh coconut are added to the batter just before making the Adai..these tiny bits of coconut give a very nice crunch and a nice mouth feel as we bite into the Adai.

Karuppu Ulundhu Adai is also made during the Karthigai Deepam Festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu during the English Month of November/ December.  Karthigai Deepam is a festival of lights celebrated with lot of fervor and enthusiasm all over Tamil Nadu..the ladies decorate the house with earthen lamps in the evening and pray for the well being of their Brothers . 

We celebrated Protein Rich Vegetarian Breakfast theme in our Food bloggers group this month . Host for this event was the versatile blogger Renu who suggested this theme and I was paired with Anu Kollon . Anu gave me curry leaves and coconut as the secret ingredients and I shared the secret ingredients lemon juice and pepper powder using which she has made a creamy Avocado Sandwich.  If you are an avid food blogger and would like to join us then do visit our Facebook page Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge

Soaking Time - 6 to 8 hrs 

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 2 to 3 mins per Adai

Complexity - Simple

Ingredients

1 cup regular rice . (No Basmati or any flavored rice) 
1/4 cup black lentil/chilke Wali udad/ karuppu ulundhu
3 to 4 red chillies
1 tsp pepper 

1/4 tsp jeera/cumin
Handful of curry leaves 
3 tbsp thinly sliced coconut slivers
Pinch of asafoetida 
Oil to roast the Adai
Salt as needed 

Method

• Wash the rice and udad dhall multiple times till the water appears clear . Soak the rice and lentil along with red chillies ,jeera and pepper for 6 to 8 hrs or overnight..I prefer to soak it overnight so that it's easy to grind and make it for breakfast as soon as we get up in the morning. 
• The batter should be slightly thicker than the usual dosa batter . 
• Add finely chopped curry leaves, coconut slivers ,salt ,asafoetida to the batter and mix it well.
• Heat a griddle/ tawa , pour a ladle full of batter and spread like dosa from inside out .let it be slightly thicker than dosa . Drizzle oil around the dosa and let it cook on medium flame ,slowly flip it over and let the underside roast well .
• Take it off the tawa and serve hot with some fresh butter and jaggery powder.  You may also serve it with coconut chutney or Molagapudi but jaggery and butter are the classic combination. 

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Paruppu Adai /Lentil Crepes - Protein Rich Recipe

Paruppu Adai / Lentil Crepes is a very famous dish of Tamil Nadu. Made out of a mixture of various lentils and rice.

Makes a very healthy breakfast or dinner option which  is relished by most people . Adai can be given to kids in their lunch box or even served as an after school snack .When served as lunch box option ,it keeps the children fill till such time they get back home . 

Adai Avial is a very famous combination and it is understood that if aviyal is made for lunch,then it has to be Adai for dinner . As much as aviyal is a sought after combination for Adai; jaggery ,coconut chutney and Idli Molagapudi are just as perfect to enjoy the crisp and piping hot Adais with a dollop of butter .

If following vegan diet , then butter and avial combination can be avoided ,instead it can be had with coconut chutney or tomato chutney. 

Adai is made as a prasadam/Neivedhiyam for Karthigai Deepam . In Tirunelveli side Karuppu Ulundhu Adai is made while most of the households offer this Paruppu Adai along with Neiappam and Sweet Pori . Nei appam and sweet pori recipes will be uploaded soon.

I had posted this recipe in my early days of blogging, with just a simple write up and recipe. After almost 10 yrs ,I brought up this post from deep slumber and editted it with some good pictures , extra information and some tips and tricks which I have learnt over the years . Hope you all like this recipe . (24/5/25)

Also,if you have no time to soak and grind ,I have a ready Adai Premix available on my online store for you to purchase.  It is travel friendly and also bachelor friendly. You can satisfy your Adai cravings anytime , make  a batter using water +the required quantity of premix , season it with salt,  finely chopped curry leaves,  corriander, onions etc and you are good to go ! 

Preparation Time : 4-5 hours
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Serves : 4-5 
Complexity  : Simple 

Ingredients 

1 measure / 1 cup raw rice ( I have used sona masuri)
3/4 cup Bengal gram dhall /channa dhall
1/4 cup thoor dhall / pigeon peas/ thuvaram paruppu 
1/4 cup moong dhall / split yellow lentil / paasi paruppu

7-8 byadgi or Kashmiri dry red chillies 
2-3 gunturu / pandi dry red chillies 

2 tsp pepper 
Few curry leaves 
Finely chopped coriander 
Salt to taste 
Asafoetida as needed.

**Skip onions if following Jain /No Onion No Garlic diet and also if making for Karthigai Deepam 

Method

• Wash the rice and lentils under running water and soak the red chillies  and pepper along with the rice and lentils for 4 -5 hrs

• Grind them well in a blender / mixie to a slighlty coarse batter. While grinding add the curry leaves as well . You can add one or 2 green chillies for extra taste and flavor.

• Add salt and asafoetida as needed.

• Transfer the batter to a wide mixing bowl and add the chopped coriander and mix well.

•  Consistency of the batter should be slightly thicker than dosa batter . Adai batter doesn't have to ferment like dosa/idli batter . It can be made instantly. 

• You can add some finely chopped onions or cabbage or grated carrots for a healthier version. 

• Now heat a griddle / dosa tava .
• Take a ladle full of the batter  and spread on the tava like dosa. Remember Adai is a little thick and not as thin as a dosa.

• Cook on one side and then flip it over to cook the under side as well.

• Serve hot with an accompaniment of your choice like jaggery , avial , chutney or even some thick curd.  
• Avoid butter ,curd and avial if you follow Vegan diet.
• Butter and Idli Molagapudi are a classic accompaniment for Adai. 
• Instead of adding onions to the adai batter ,you can top the adai with finely chopped onions like how you would for onion uthappam.This way spreading the batter becomes easy and the taste of caramelized onions gives a nice feel .

 Note

1. Donot keep this batter for more than one day in the fridge..consume as quickly as possible. 
2. Soaking time for the rice and lentils should be maximum of 3 to 4 hrs . If you soak for longer period , the lentils will start giving out foul smell which is not  good for health. 
3. Incase you happen to soak and forget to grind, drain all water, wash it once or twice until the smell is gone and keep it in the fridge without the water.Grind it the next morning without fail.  
4. The color of the batter will depend on how much Kashmiri chillies/ Byadgi chillies are being used.