Indri appam on plantain leaves

Steamed in plantain leaves, indri appams are prepared to be served among the family for their Maundy Thursday get-together.

Ingredients
4 cups roasted rice flour
1 cup urad dal
4 cups grated coconut (almost 2 coconuts)
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic
Salt to taste

Preparation
Soak urad dal for two hours
Drain and grind to a smooth paste together with coconut, garlic, cumin seeds and salt, adding very little water
Mix this ground paste with rice flour and make a soft and smooth dough
Do not allow this mix to ferment
Make small balls of the dough and flatten each ball on a piece of plantain leaf with your finger tips. Dip fingers in water in between
Fold and steam the appams in an appanchembu (steamer) or in a pressure cooker without putting the weight on the lid, with enough water, for about 30 minutes or until the appams are cooked thoroughly
It makes around 20 indri appams

(The author is a food blogger who blogs at swapnascuisine.com)