Indri Appam and Paal/Passover Unleavened Bread,

Easter is just around the corner and since we are observing Lent ....which makes Easter extra special. Indri appam is a bread made only on Maundy Thursday. It is made with urad dal, rice flour, coconut, jeera, onion or shallots, garlic, and salt. Appam is steamed in a steamer or appachembu. Paal is made with jaggery and coconut milk spiced with dry ginger, black sesame seeds, and jeera. Appam is had dipped in Paal. In our Knanaya community, the making of this bread is a special ceremony and is prepared with much respect and care. The palm leaf, which we get from church on Palm Sunday is placed on the bread in the form of cross before steaming it. This bread/appam and the paal is only made on Maundy Thursday. This is cut by the head of the family on Maundy Thursday evening and distributed among other family members to commemorate the Last Supper.

This appam is not fermented. This appam and paal is only made on Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday.

Recipe Source: My amma.
Ingredients:
For the Appam:
Urad dal: 1/2 cup, soak for half an hour.
Coconut: 1, grated.(Keep aside the coconut water).
Jeera: 1 tsp.
Shallots: 5 or 6 (can use half an onion also).
Garlic: 3 or 4 cloves.
Roasted rice flour: 2 cups.
Salt: 1 tsp.

Method:
1. Rub coconut water and salt into the rice flour till it resembles breadcrumbs.

2. In your grinder, put in the soaked urad dal, coconut gratings, jeera, shallots, and garlic cloves.

3. Grind all this together with little water.

4. Put the flour into this and mix well.

5. Rub with your hands just in case there are lumps.....this batter should be that of idily batter consistency....thick batter.

6. Pour into a well greased steaming tin or pan. Place the palm leaf in the shape of a cross.

7. Put this into hot appachembu or steamer and let is steam for 15 to 20 min...pls remember to put the fire on low once steam comes. The rest I made on banana leaves.

For the Paal:
Jaggery: 500 gms.
Dry ginger: 1 small piece, crushed.
Jeera: 1/2 tsp.
Black sesame seeds: 1 tbsp.
Coconut Milk: 1 cup first milk and 2 cups second milk.
Roasted rice powder: 1 to 2 tbsp.

Method:
1. Melt the jaggery with little water and strain it into another pan. Pour the second coconut milk into the strained jaggery along with the sesame seeds, jeera, and crushed dry ginger. Put in the palm leaf. Let it boil and simmer for another 15 to 20 min....it tends to spill if put on high flame.

2. Mix the rice flour with the first coconut milk and pour it into this. Let it simmer until it thickens. Switch off fire and serve it with indri appam.