Pesaha / Indri / Inri Appam and Paal

Ingredients

• 1 cup (about 160 g)rice flour
• 1/4 cup (about 50 g)urad dal
• 1 heaped cup (about 90 g)grated coconut
• 1 large clove or 2 small clovesgarlic
• 3–5small onions or shallots
• A pinchcumin seeds
• 1–1.5 cups (240–360 ml)water
• 400 gjaggery
• 3 cups (720 ml)medium-thick coconut milk
• 1 cup (240 ml)thick coconut milk
• To tastesalt
• 1–2 tbsprice flour, for thickening the paal
• A littlewater, for melting the jaggery and mixing the thickener

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the dal

   Soak the urad dal for 2 hours. Grind it to a smooth paste, adding a little water as needed.

2. 2

   Grind the coconut

   Grind the grated coconut with the garlic, small onions and cumin, using a little water, until combined.

3. 3

   Cook the rice flour

   Bring the water to a boil and add salt. Once bubbles begin to appear, add the rice flour gradually, stirring as you go. Cook it into a soft dough rather than a watery mixture.

4. 4

   Mix the batter

   Stir in the urad dal paste and coconut paste until evenly combined. The mixture should have the consistency of idli batter.

5. 5

   Prepare the tin

   Transfer the batter to a well-greased steaming tin. Place a cross made from palm leaves in the centre of the batter, then cover the tin with aluminium foil.

6. 6

   Steam the appam

   Steam in an appachembu or steamer for 18–23 minutes, keeping the heat at the same level throughout. Let it cool for a while before turning it out on to a serving dish.

7. 7

   Melt the jaggery

   Melt the jaggery with a little water. Once completely dissolved, strain it.

8. 8

   Add the coconut milk

   Add the medium-thick coconut milk and stir continuously. When more than half of it has evaporated, add the thick coconut milk and stir well. Do not let the paal boil after adding the thick coconut milk.

9. 9

   Thicken the paal

   For a thicker sauce, mix 1–2 tablespoons of rice flour with hot water and stir it into the paal. Cook for a few minutes.

What are Pesaha appam and paal?

Pesaha appam, also called Indri or Inri appam, is a steamed rice cake associated with Pesaha, the Kerala Christian observance of Maundy Thursday. It is traditionally served with paal, a sauce made with jaggery and coconut milk.

This version combines rice flour and urad dal with a paste of coconut, garlic, shallots and cumin. Steaming keeps the appam soft, while the sweet paal gives it a rich contrast.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 715 calories, 9g protein, 119g carbs, 25g fat.

The rice flour and jaggery supply most of the carbohydrates, while the coconut milk and grated coconut contribute much of the fat. Urad dal provides some protein, though the dish is not especially protein-focused; serve a moderate piece with a protein-rich accompaniment if you want a more balanced plate.

The appam batter

Urad dal: Soaking it for 2 hours makes it easier to grind into a smooth paste, which helps bring the batter together.

Coconut paste: Grind the coconut, garlic, shallots and cumin until well combined. A little water helps the ingredients blend without making the mixture too loose.

Rice flour: Add it gradually to the boiling water and stir into a soft dough before adding the pastes. The finished mixture should resemble idli batter, not a thin pourable liquid.

Steaming the appam

Tin and cover: Grease the steaming tin well and cover it with foil so the batter can steam without excess condensation falling into it. The palm-leaf cross is placed in the centre before covering.

Steady heat: Steam for 18–23 minutes and keep the flame at the same level for the whole cooking time. Allow the appam to cool briefly before turning it out.

Getting the paal right

Jaggery: Dissolve it with a little water, then strain the melted mixture before adding coconut milk. Straining removes any solids that remain after melting.

Coconut milk: Stir continuously as the medium-thick milk reduces. Add the thick coconut milk later and do not boil the sauce after that point.

Thickener: If you want a thicker paal, blend 1–2 tablespoons of rice flour with hot water before adding it. Stir it in and cook for a few minutes.

Serving the dish

Cut or break the appam into portions and serve it with paal alongside or poured over the top. The sauce is sweet and rich, so a modest amount can coat each piece while letting the savoury appam remain noticeable.

For a fuller meal, serve it with a fresh, lightly dressed salad or fruit. These bring freshness to the plate without competing with the coconut and jaggery.

Timing and texture cues

Soaking the dal takes 2 hours, and the appam steams for 18–23 minutes; the recipe does not give an overall preparation time. You can prepare the paal while the appam steams, keeping an eye on the sauce as it reduces.

The batter should be soft and similar to idli batter before steaming. For the paal, look for reduced medium-thick coconut milk before adding the thick milk, then keep the sauce below a boil.

Recipe notes & tips

• Soak the urad dal for the full 2 hours so it grinds smoothly.
• Add the rice flour in stages, stirring well to avoid dry pockets.
• Use only enough water to help grind the coconut mixture.
• Grease the steaming tin thoroughly to make turning out the appam easier.
• Keep the steamer heat steady throughout the 18–23 minutes.
• Stir the paal continuously as the medium-thick coconut milk reduces.

Variations

• Smoother paal: Strain the melted jaggery carefully before adding the coconut milk.
• Thicker sauce: Use 1–2 tablespoons of rice flour mixed with hot water as described in the method.
• Milder garlic: Use one large garlic clove rather than two small cloves.
• More coconut flavour: Keep the specified thick coconut milk for the final addition and avoid boiling it.
• Gentler sweetness: Serve a smaller amount of paal with each portion of appam.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Watery dough: Add the rice flour gradually and cook it until the mixture is soft rather than loose.
• Lumpy paste: Grind the soaked dal until smooth before mixing it into the batter.
• Uneven batter: Combine both pastes thoroughly with the rice-flour mixture before steaming.
• Changing the heat: Keep the flame at the same level for the entire steaming time.
• Boiling the final sauce: Do not boil the paal after adding the thick coconut milk.
• Skipping the jaggery straining: Strain it once fully melted, before stirring in the coconut milk.

How to store

Refrigerate the appam and paal separately in covered containers and use within 2–3 days. Reheat the appam by steaming or microwaving gently, and warm the paal over low heat without bringing it to a boil.

Frequently asked questions