Appam with Kerala Chicken & Shrimp Stew
Soft, lacy rice pancakes paired with a fragrant coconut curry stew of chicken and shrimp. This South Indian comfort meal is achievable at home with a nonstick pan and basic technique.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk, full-fat
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 handful curry leaves (fresh) and green chili, sliced
- 1 cup rice flour
- ½ cup coconut milk
Instructions
- 1
Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch chunks. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add chicken in a single layer. Sear 3 minutes per side without moving—edges should brown. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
Add onions to the same pot. Sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
- 4
Stir in ginger-garlic paste. Cook 60 seconds until fragrant.
- 5
Add tomato and curry leaves with green chili. Cook 2 minutes, stirring, until tomato softens.
- 6
Pour in coconut milk. Return chicken to the pot. Simmer 15 minutes until chicken is tender.
- 7
Add shrimp. Simmer 4 minutes until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
Whisk rice flour with 0.5 cup coconut milk and 0.5 cup water until smooth. Add salt to taste.
- 9
Heat an appam pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the wells or pan surface.
- 10
Pour batter into appam pan wells until two-thirds full, or spread thin in skillet for regular pancakes.
- 11
Cook 2 minutes until the edges curl up and center looks set. Flip carefully and cook 30 seconds more.
- 12
Slide appam onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
- 13
Divide appam among bowls or plates. Ladle stew with broth over the top. Serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (4-quart minimum)
- appam pan or nonstick skillet (10-inch)
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- slotted spoon
- cutting board and knife
- measuring cups and spoons
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