Appams

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• 2 3/4 cups cold water, divided
• 1/2 cup frozen shredded coconut, thawed
• 1/4 cup cooked jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup well-shaken and stirred unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps

1. Place uncooked rice and 2 cups water in a medium bowl; cover and set aside at room temperature (65°F to 70°F) until rice mixture is doubled in size, at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours.
2. Drain rice mixture well through a fine wire-mesh strainer placed over a large bowl for about 1 minute. Transfer rice to a high-speed blender, and add 1/2 cup water. Starting on low speed and gradually moving to a higher speed, process until batter is thick and smooth, about 1 minute. (When you rub prepared batter between your fingers, batter should feel mostly smooth.) Add coconut, cooked rice, and remaining 1/4 cup water; process until batter is smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into a large container (roughly 3 times the size of batter); stir in sugar and yeast. Cover container with lid; let batter stand in a warm place (75°F to 80°F) until doubled in size and bubbles have formed all over, 4 to 5 hours. (Batter should be frothy.)
3. Add coconut milk and salt to batter. Stir together gently using a spatula.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Pour 1/4 cup batter into preheated skillet. Using the bottom of a ladle or metal measuring cup, apply gentle pressure to center of batter and quickly spread batter outward in a circular motion into an even 4- to 5-inch round. Wait for a few bubbles to form on the surface, 5 to 10 seconds; cover and cook until steam accumulates on lid and appam looks cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove lid, and cook until top of appam begins to dry and can easily slide off skillet, about 30 seconds. Transfer appam to prepared baking sheet. Wipe skillet and lid clean. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.