Pesaha Appam and Paalu

Pesaha Appam is usually made in Christian families on Maundy Thursday/Pesaha Vyazhazhcha. Maundy Thursday is marked by a holy mass in Churches which usually ends by tea time.  On returning home, the family gather around the dining table when the head of the family prays and cuts the pesaha appam, dips it in the paalu and passes it on to the family members.  They all then dine together. This is done as a commemoration of Jesus's Last Supper with his Apostles(disciples), on which he shared unleavened bread and wine with them. The story of the crusicifaction and the last supper is usually told to the little ones this day as an answer to their endless curious questions.  The appam is made with great respect and is decorated with a small cross made from the palm leaves received from church on Palm sunday.  Appam is an Indianised unleavened bread which is made as soon as we grind the batter and is not allowed to ferment. Good Friday followes Maundy Thursday and is supposed to be a fasting day. So the leftover Pesaha is the only lifeline on Good Friday and is usually fought over by the younger family members when hunger strikes... :D

You will need...

For Pesaha Appam:

Rice - 1 glass

Urid dal -1/3 glass

Garlic - 1 clove

Jeera - 1 pinch

Grated Coconut - 1 handfull

Salt - to taste

Soak rice and urid dal separately in water overnight or for 6-8 hours. Grind rice and keep 2 tbsp aside from this.  Grind urid dal and mix into the ground rice.  Grind coconut, garlic and jeera together and mix this into the batter. The batter should be of medium consistency as for idli.  Pour into a greased shallow vessel or idli moulds and decorate with a palm cross on top.  Steam cook for 10-12 minutes.

For Pesaha Paalu:

Melted Jaggery(Sarkkara paavu) - 3/4 cup-1 cup

Coconut milk(thick) - 1 cup
Coconut milk(thin) - 2 cup
Cardamom - 3-4 crushed

  

Mix the melted jaggery and the 2 tbsp ground rice kept aside from appam batter. Let it boil. Add thin coconut milk and boil.  Switch off the heat and add thick coconut milk. Keep stirring and do not let it boil.  Garnish with crushed cardamom. Serve hot with appam. 

Note : 

To melt jaggery, boil jaggery with 1/2 cup water, until melted fully with no lumps.  Strain and use.

Cheers!!!