Appam is a lacy, bowl-shaped South Indian bread with crispy edges and a soft, spongy center. This naturally fermented vegetarian bread is light, healthy, and a family breakfast favorite in Kerala.
Soak the raw white rice in plenty of water for at least 4 hours at room temperature to soften the grains.
Drain the soaked rice and add to a blender with cooked rice, grated coconut, and about 1 cup of water. Grind to a smooth, pourable batter.
Dissolve the active dry yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy; add this to the batter and mix well.
Cover the batter with a lid or cloth and ferment in a warm place for 6–8 hours or overnight, until the batter rises and bubbles appear.
Before cooking, stir in salt and gently mix the risen batter; heat a small appam or nonstick pan over medium-high, then pour a ladleful of batter into the center, swirl the pan to spread thinly along the edges while keeping the center thick.
Cover and cook on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the edges turn golden and crisp and the center is set but soft. Do not flip.
Remove the appam gently and serve hot; repeat with remaining batter, stirring before each appam to maintain uniform texture.