I have only eaten these when my sister Zeenath makes them. Hers are always picture perfect and delicious. The family affectionately calls them helmet appams, due to their close resemblance to a helmet. I have never tried to make them. However, when I got married many moons ago, my parents gave me the special utensil that is required to make these. Sadly, I am yet to use it. But I have lovingly carried it with me to all the countries I lived in. I almost lost it one year. A strong-willed aunt wanted to take it away, saying that I never used it and she would. I actively resisted that effort and insisted I had an affectionate, nostalgic attachment to my karayappam pan. I recently unearthed it from my basement in Toronto. It is made of cast iron and I have spent a lot of time researching how to restore this cast iron pan to its former glory. This summer of 2018, I fully intend to give karayappams my best shot.
Rice - 2 cups of uncooked rice (raw rice/pacha ari) – washed well and soaked in 3 cups of lukewarm water.
Rice - 2 cups of cooked rice (made from raw rice/pacha ari)
Egg - 1
Water - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Soak the uncooked rice for two hours and then drain all the water from the soaked rice. Add the two cups of cooked rice (made from raw rice/pacha ari) to the soaked rice, and one egg. (cooked 'boiled' rice - known as puzhangal ari in Malayalam, is better but this recipe tasted equally good).
Divide the rice mixture into two portions. Put one portion in the blender. Add a little water and blend and then add water in small increments (the small increments is crucial or the batter will not be smooth) and blend to a smooth paste. Repeat with the other portion. Add salt to taste, to this batter. Batter is now ready for preparing karayappams.
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KARAYAPPAM BATTER
A special griddle with depressions in it is used to make these appams.
KARAYAPPAM CHATTI
Fill the pot with enough oil to cover the depressions. Turn heat to high as batter must be poured into hot oil.
KARAYAPPAM CHATTI FILLED WITH OIL
Pour batter into centre of depressions to fill them little less than top of the kaaras (depressions in the pot). (TIP – Can turn down heat when pouring batter but need to turn up heat as soon as batter pouring is complete). The appams rise a little bit, as illustrated in picture below.
KARAYAPPAMS READY TO TURN OVER
At this point , turn them over to cook the tops. Remove from oil and let them drain on tissue before serving. 
KARAYAPPAMS READY TO EAT
Can serve with spicy fish curry or any chicken/meat/vegetable curry. The lamb curry with potatoes on this blog is a very good accompaniment to karayappams.The Dutch prepare pancakes called poffertjes in a pan that is similar to the karayappam chatti and this can be purchased using this link.
Amazon link to buy pofferjtes pan
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