Samidrapon is almost similar to papad. This papad is prepared with rice which is soaked and ground to a batter and later shaped like small dosas/pan cakes. The special thing about this papad is,it is steamed on Channina paan (see here to know more about this leaf ).Of course steaming on leaf is not practical today because this particular leaf can be found in only a few places .As I stay in Kerala I can find it around, and so thought to share this traditional way of steaming on leaves.These days we get stainless steel stand in some stores which is leaf shaped.We can also steam this on banana leaf.

               This recipe require very few ingredients like rice,til,green chillies,which is readily available in the kitchen. Like other papad these too need to be deep fried in oil for eating.Those days they were served as a evening snack with tea/coffee.To prepare this is a little laborious,as we need few helping hands to spread the paper on plastic sheets. So  my amma used to prepare this in batches during summer and store in huge dabbas. During rainy season they are fried and we used to eat enjoying the rain and sipping piping hot coffee.

                        The recipe is simple but needs lots of patience.The process of peeling this neatly is little tricky. We love to eat it fresh drizzling coconut oil,as soon as it is steamed and peeled.There is a spicy version too adding chilli powder.The highlight of this papad is that tit doesn’t  need sunlight to dry up.They dry up fast even under a ceiling fan .Later can be kept in open air in low sunlight for 2 days.

                             But a point  to be noted about these types of happolu,papodu,vodis is that they have to be completely dried and stored in airtight containers. Here is the recipe.

Wash and soak the rice for 2 hours.Drain the water and grind it with water to a very fine paste.I used a Mixer for grinding.Remove this in to a bowl,add til seeds and salt.

Check for the consistency of the batter.It should neither be too thick nor too thin.It should be little thicker than neer dosa and little thinner than normal urad rice dosa batter.

Instead of using leaves these type of stainless steel stand is available in stores to prepare these papads.,Procedure is the same instead of spreading on the leaves have to be spread on the leaf like steel plates

Heat a pedavan/Idli steamer, with some water . When the water starts to boil – place the batter spread leaves on the perforated plate in it and cover with lid.Cook for about 5 minutes.

Check whether the colour is changed from white to a transparent colour. This means it is done  and is now ready to removed from the steamer.

Allow the removed leaves to cool.

Later peel it slowly without damaging the shape and spread on a plastic sheet or clean white cloth.But please do not spread on newspapers as it sticks to the paper.

Similarly proceed  with the rest of the batter.We can use the same steamed leaves for 3-4 times after peeling each one.

Keep this spread appala under sun to dry or under fan wind.We can see them drying and shrinking with slight colour change too.Let dry for 3-4 days to store for 3-4 months.When the dried ones are crisp they are ready to fry. Stays good even for a year if prepared and stored properly.

For spicy version : Add chilli powder or grind along with green chillies as per spice level.

These cooked appalas can be eaten as such  in the evening as snack by drizzling little coconut oil.It is awesome to bite into those warm and freshly steamed ones.

Heat required oil in a kadai to deep fry the Hapolu. When the oil is hot drop a happolu and fry on both sides.this fluffs up to become much bigger.Remove on  to a tissue paper.

Serve along with tea/coffee.

I am also sharing few pictures of pot steaming method by Shamala Bhat

  where idli steamer or leaf is not used.