Pesaha appam orKurisappam[1] is a firm rice cake made by the Christians ofKerala,India, to be served on the night ofMaundy Thursday (Pesaha).[1] It is made from rice batter likepalappam,[2] but is not fermented with yeast in its preparation.[3] A cross is made using the palm leaves fromPalm Sunday, and placed in the middle of the batter.[3][4]
The Pesaha celebration of Christians falls on WesternMaundy Thursday and lasts for a single day.[5][6][7] Traditionally, Pesaha appam is served in a ceremonial manner at night in Christian households across Kerala.[8] The senior male of the family cuts the appam, dips it in paalukurukku (syrup) or Pesaha pal (coconut milk), and serves it to the other family members.[2][8] The brown palkurukku is made mainly usingjaggery andcoconut milk. The meal also includes small banana variants in Kerala such as poovan pazham or njalipoovan pazham.[1] Some families[who?] have the custom of singing traditionalKerala Nasrani Christian songs during this meal.[9]
^abcKoder S. "History of the Jews of Kerala". The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of Indial ed. G. Menachery, 1973.
^Chummar Choondal (1983) Christian folk songs, Kerala Folklore Academy pp 33-64
^Menachery, G. (ed.) (1998) The Indian Church History Classics, Vol. I, The Nazranies, Ollur, 1998.ISBN81-87133-05-8.
^Podipara, Placid J. (1970) The Thomas Christians. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1970. (is a readable and exhaustive study of the St. Thomas Christians.)
^Leslie Brown, (1956) The Indian Christians of St. Thomas. An Account of the Ancient Syrian Church of Malabar, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1956, 1982 (repr.)
^Thomas Puthiakunnel, (1973) "Jewish colonies of India paved the way for St. Thomas", The Saint Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, ed. George Menachery, Vol. II. Trichur.
^T. K. Velu Pillai, (1940) The Travancore State Manual; 4 volumes; Trivandrum)
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