Content

• Ingredients
• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Making Light Funnels
• Method 2 of 2: Making funnels with baking soda or palm wine
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Funnels, also known as appam, are a popular and versatile pancake popular in Sri Lanka, South India and Malaysia. While they have their own unique coconut flavor and slightly acidic fermentation process, they can be paired with many other foods to create a delicious breakfast, lunch, or dessert. You can even cook eggs, cheese, or other foods right at the top of the funnel in the pan.

Ingredients

Light funnels (number of ~ 16 thin "funnels")

• 3 cups (700 ml) rice flour
• 2.5 cups (640 ml) coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• Vegetable oil (2-3 drops per "funnel")
• Eggs (optional, 0-2 per person optional)

Funnels with palm wine or baking soda (number of ~ 18 thin "funnels")

• 1.5 cups (350 ml) raw rice
• A handful of cooked rice (about 2 tablespoons or 30 ml.)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) shredded coconut
• Water or coconut milk (add as needed)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar
• or 1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) baking soda
• or about 2 teaspoons (! 0 ml.) of palm wine

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Making Light Funnels

1. 1 Follow this recipe to cook the funnels within 3 hours. This recipe replaces the slower yeast fermentation methods, which only take about 2 hours to give the batter the right consistency and flavor to cook. Funnels go this way to make it taste different than funnels made with punch or baking soda, but they're still delicious and you will save a lot of prep time.
   • This recipe is also best followed if you don't have a food processor or powerful blender, as it's easy to mix the ingredients together by hand.
2. 2 Mix yeast, sugar and warm water together. Use 1/4 cup (60 ml) water heated to 43-46ºC. Mix slowly with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast. Let it brew for 5-15 minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy. The temperature and sugar will activate the dry yeast, turning the sugar into a flavorful and airy one, which will make a good dough.
   • If you don't have a thermometer that you can use for water, use warm or lukewarm water. Too hot water will kill the yeast, while too cold water will just take longer to work.
   • If the yeast mix does not foam, it may be old or damaged yeast. Try a new package.
3. 3 Add yeast mixture to rice flour and salt. After the yeast mixture is frothy, transfer it to a large bowl with 3 cups (700 ml) rice flour and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt. Stir together.
   • Use a bowl that can hold about 3 liters as the dough will expand.
4. 4 Add coconut milk to the mixture. Pour in 2.5 cups (640 ml) coconut milk and stir together until you have a smooth dough, no lumps or discoloration. You can mash the mixture if you have a blender or food processor, but with this recipe it should be easy enough to mix the dough by hand.
5. 5 Cover the bowl and let the dough rise. Now that the yeast is active, it will continue to ferment the sugar in the dough. This will make the dough airy and also add extra flavor. Cover the bowl and leave on the counter for about 2 hours. The dough will approximately double in size by the time it is ready.
   • Yeast works faster at higher temperatures or if it is still relatively fresh. Check it after an hour to see if the dough has grown enough.
6. 6 Heat a skillet over medium heat. If you have one, use a funnel pan, also called an appam pan, with a recess inside that creates a funnel with a thin outer rim and thicker center. Otherwise, a small wok or skillet will do. Heat it up for about two minutes.
7. 7 Add a small amount of oil to the skillet. Two or three drops of oil should be enough for one funnel. Rotate the pan to cover the sides or use a cloth to spread it evenly. Some people choose not to use oil at all, but this helps prevent the funnel from sticking to the pan.
8. 8 Add a scoop full of dough and rotate the pan. Add about 1/3 cup (80 ml) batter to the skillet. Tilt the pan immediately and rotate it in a circular motion until the dough envelops the sides and bottom of the pan. A thin, lacy layer of batter should stick to the sides, with a thicker layer in the center.
   • If the dough is too thick to fill the center of the pan when you rotate, stir the dough with 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk or water before preparing the next funnel.
9. 9 Crack the egg over the center of the funnel (optional). If you like, break the egg just above the center of the funnel. You might want to try your first funnel without additives before deciding if you want to try it with eggs. If each person eats multiple funnels, there is probably too much egg for each funnel. Consider 0-2 per person depending on their preference.
10. 10 Cover and cook until edges are brown. Place the lid on the skillet and let the funnel cook for 1-4 minutes, depending on the temperature and consistency of the dough. The funnel is done when the edges are brown and the center is no longer runny, although you can cook larger for a crisper, golden brown center if you prefer.
11. 11 Remove carefully from the pan. A butter knife or other thin, flat dish that works well for removing the thin crunchy edge from the pan without breaking it. Once it has peeled off, use a spatula to transfer the funnel onto a plate. You can stack the funnels on top of each other as you cook them. If you are preparing a large number of funnels (double or triple recipe) and want to keep them warm, put them in the oven at the lowest temperature, or simply turn on the igniter.
12. 12 Cook the rest of the dough in the same way. Lightly grease the skillet between cooking each funnel and cook each funnel with the lid closed until brown. Adjust the amount of dough you use if the funnels are too thick to cook properly or too small to create a lace edge around the sides of the pan.
13. 13 Serve hot for breakfast or dinner. They are great for balancing spicy curries or sambol. Because of their coconut flavor, they are especially good with dinner dishes that contain coconut.

Method 2 of 2: Making funnels with baking soda or palm wine

1. 1 Start this method the day before. This funnel recipe uses either alcoholic palm wine or baking soda. Although palm wine is more traditional and adds a distinct flavor, both methods ferment the dough at night, producing a markedly different flavor than the quick yeast method.
2. 2 Prepare a handful of rice. You can use any kind of rice for this recipe. Since you need to start these funnels the day before, you could make a pot of rice for dinner that day and store a handful (or two large spoons) in a covered container in the refrigerator.
3. 3 Soak uncooked rice in water for at least 4 hours. Use 1.5 cups of rice (350 ml.) While you can use rice that does not require soaking, this recipe requires mixing the rice with other ingredients, so you need to soak until it is soft enough to chop or place in a kitchen counter. harvester.
4. 4 Drain the rice. Strain the soaked rice through a sieve or cloth to drain off the water, leaving softened but raw rice.
5. 5 Grind strained rice, cooked rice, and 3/4 cup (180 ml.) grated coconut. This will take a long time by hand, so use a blender or food processor if you have one. Combine raw rice with coconut flakes and cooked rice until smooth or nearly smooth. A slightly rough or grainy texture is fine.
   • Add a little water to the dough if it looks dry or if you are having trouble grinding it.
6. 6 Mix 1/4 cup (60 ml.) dough with 3/4 cup (180 ml) water. Stir the dough together for a wetter, thinner mixture. Use a saucepan or other container for cooking.You will prepare this mixture and use it to ferment the dough, which adds air and flavor to the funnels.
7. 7 Heat the new mixture until thick, then let cool. Stir the dough and water mixture vigorously as you heat it at a low temperature. It should continue to thicken until it becomes jelly-like and transparent. Remove mixture from heat and leave until it reaches room temperature.
8. 8 Mix cooked dough and raw dough together. Mix well to avoid lumps. Add some water as you mix if the mixture is too dry to mix. Use a large bowl with plenty of room for the dough to grow.
9. 9 Cover and leave for 8 hours. Cover the dough mixture with a cloth or lid and set aside at room temperature. Often times, people leave it overnight and make funnels for breakfast in the morning.
   • The dough should almost double in size and become frothy.
10. 10 Add the rest of the ingredients to the dough. After the dough is ready, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar, or to taste. Add either 1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) baking soda or a small amount of toddy, also known as palm wine. Toddy has a strong aroma, so you can start with just 1 teaspoon (5 ml) and increase the amount if the first funnel doesn't have a specific sour taste.
    • Palm wine is alcoholic, but the small amount used in this recipe shouldn't affect sobriety.
11. 11 Dilute the dough until easy to pour. The dough should be thinner than American pancake dough. Add water or coconut milk until sparse enough to spread easily through the pan, but thick enough to stay together and not completely runny. Stir or blend until no lumps remain in the dough.
12. 12 Grease and heat a skillet over medium heat. Use a cloth or paper towel to spread a small amount of oil in a funnel, wok, or plain skillet until lightly greased. Heat it for a couple of minutes over medium heat; the pan should not be too hot.
    • Small pans with wide, sloping sides work best.
13. 13 Use a scoop to add enough dough to cover the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you need about 1 / 4-1 / 2 cup of batter (60-120 ml). Tilt the pan and pour the dough around the edges in a circle once or twice. A thin layer should be left on the sides, with a thicker center at the base of the pan.
14. 14 Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes. Watch the funnel. It is done when the edges are brown and the center is soft but not runny. It can be cooked for a minute or two longer if you want the center to be crispy, but many prefer to eat it with a white center. Use a spatula to transfer the funnel to the plate as soon as it is ready.
15. 15 Prepare the rest of the funnels in the same way. Grease the skillet between cooking each funnel and check the funnel frequently during cooking. Because the pan heats up when you cook the funnels, later the funnels can cook in a shorter time. Turn off the heat after a minute or two if the funnels are burning or sticking to the pan.

Tips

• If shredded coconut is not available, add one extra glass of coconut milk.
• You may not get the funnel right the first time. Practice makes perfect.
• Try adding a little honey to the dough to make funnels for dessert. Eat with bananas and / or sweetened coconut milk.
• Red rice flour can be found in specialty stores in Sri Lanka, but plain rice flour is more readily available and works just as well.

Warnings

• The dough can turn sour if left to ferment longer than necessary.
• Grease the skillet before making the funnel or it will stick to the skillet.

What do you need

• Large bowl
• Frying pan (for funnels, small wok, or small skillet)
• Butter knife
• Scapula
• Scoop
• Food processor or blender (optional)