Kerala · Breakfast
Appam
Also called palappam, aappam, vellayappam, hoppers, kallappam
Lacy, bowl-shaped pancakes of fermented rice and coconut batter, soft in the middle and crisp at the edge. Eaten at breakfast in Kerala with vegetable stew or kadala curry.
The short answer
Appam has about 247 kcal in a regular serving (2 appams, about 120 g), with 5.2 g of protein and 2.4 g of fibre. It rates 2.5/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 2 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 247 kcal
- 2 appams (about 120 g)
- For weight management
- 2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 5.2 g · 2.4 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 45 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in appam?
Raw weights for one serving (2 appams, about 120 g), from the standard recipe
- Rice, 62 g
- Grated coconut, 6 g
- Sugar, 1 g
How is appam made?
Preparation 20 min · Cooking 30 min
- 1Soak the rice for about 5 hours, then grind it with the grated coconut to a slightly coarse batter.
- 2Cook a spoonful of the batter with water to a thick paste, cool it and mix it back into the batter.
- 3Cover and leave the batter in a warm place for about 8 hours to ferment.
- 4Stir in sugar, salt and a pinch of baking soda and thin the batter to a pouring consistency.
- 5Pour a ladleful into a hot appam pan and swirl it so the edge is thin and the centre stays thick.
- 6Cover and cook for about 2 minutes until the edge is golden, then serve with stew or curry.
Appam nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (2 appams, about 120 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 247 kcal | 206 kcal |
| Protein | 5.2 g | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 49.2 g | 41 g |
| Fat | 2.9 g | 2.4 g |
| Fibre | 2.4 g | 2 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Hebbar's Kitchen: Palappam Recipe (Kerala Appam), serves 10) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (390 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Hebbar's Kitchen, Palappam Recipe (Kerala Appam) 39 g, Archana's Kitchen, Kerala Style Appam Recipe (fermented rice pancakes with coconut) 219 g and Sanjeev Kapoor, Appam 99 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is appam good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit, because a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)2.06 kcal · 57/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)2.1 g · 21/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)1.0 g · 32/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)247 of 400 kcal (breakfast) · 88/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have appam
- Have two appams with a vegetable stew, not four with coconut milk
- Choose a vegetable stew or kadala curry for more fibre and protein
- Keep the coconut in the batter modest
- Skip the extra sugar in the batter
- Use a non-stick pan so you need no oil
Common questions about appam
How many calories are in appam?
About 247 kcal in 2 appams, about 120 g, or 206 kcal per 100 g.
Is appam good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in appam?
About 5.2 g in 2 appams, about 120 g, which is 2.1 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in appam?
About 45 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
How many calories are in appam?
Two appams of about this size give about 250 kcal here, before any stew or curry.
Is appam good for weight management?
Appam is made mostly of rice, so keep to two and add a protein or vegetable curry alongside.
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Compare it in:Breakfast dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.