Unniappam /Unniyappam /Neyyappam /Appam /Sweet Rice Fritters

I am back after a short break! Sorry,could not inform in advance. I had an unplanned vacation and that was the reason for my sudden silence for past few week. My humble apologies to all my dear readers & all my friends here for my absence and for lack of updates. Thanks a ton to all for asking me about my absence...it really meant a lot to me...Lets move on to the recipe..

Unniappam/Neyyappam is the traditional recipe and popular snack of keralites, which is made with rice flour, jaggery/molasses and ghee/clarified butter. "Unniapam /Neyyappam" is a fluffy deep-fried rice sweet fritter  similar to Dutch Aebleskiver. 

Unniappam is a variation of Neyiappam in which mashed plantain is added to the batter. Unni in malayalam means small, Ney means ghee/clarified butter and Appam means small rice cake. Both Neyyappam and Unni appam is often used as a ritual offering in temples in Kerala (South India).The batter made out of rice flour, jaggery and plantain is poured into a cast iron mould called "Appa karal" or Appakaram in which ghee is  heated and fried until deep brown.

My appa karal is family heirloom as it was given to me by my grandmother, who was given it by her grandmother. It is made of bell metal and it's quite heavy. Making unniappam has always made be nostalgic. It is little time consuming to make, but its worth all the effort..those of you who have not tasted it, do give a try and you will be hooked.:-)

Here u go...

Recipe for Unniappam //Neyyappam /Appam /Sweet Rice Fritters

Makes : 20 Unniappams (depending upon size of the appam  mold)

Ingredients : 

Raw Rice /Rice flour (lightly roasted) : 2 cups
Ripe Small Bananas (Ceru pazham/Palayankodan) : 3 nos
Jaggery / Molasses  : 1 cup /250 grms (more or less as to taste)
Black Sesame Seeds /Ellu : 1/4 tsp
Milk : 1/2 cup ( optional )
Coconut bits /Thenga kothu : 1/2 cup or as needed
Cardamom : 3-4 pods
Salt : one pinch
Coconut Oil or Ghee for frying

Method of Preparation : 

1. Soak the raw rice in water for about 3-4 hours, if your using rice flour then lightly roast the flour and keep it aside.
2. In the meanwhile, melt jaggery with 1/4 cup of hot water and make a thick syrup out of it, Strain to take out any impurities and cool the syrup.
3. Drain the water from the rice and grind the rice to a smooth paste/ batter using the jaggery solution. (Note : If the batter is too thick then add enough water as and when required) (Or) If your using rice flour, mix the rice flour with jaggery solution and proceed with the below-mentioned method.
4. Fry the coconut bits/thenga kothu in 2 tsp of ghee till it become light brown in colour and now add sesame, fry and keep it aside.
5. Chop the banana into 3 or 4 pieces, and add them along with the seeds from the cardamom pods to the batter and grind them till everything becomes a smooth nice batter.
6. Now add the fried coconut bits and sesame seeds to the batter and mix well.

7. Keep this batter for 1-2 hour  in a tight container, (Note : This process helps to make unniappam more soft).  In the meantime if the batter has thicken up or is too tight, add milk to make it again to a thick batter consistency.
8. Place the appa kaaral (cast iron mould pan) /Unniappam pan on the stove and pour equal amounts of ghee and coconut oil (about a tbsp of each) into each rounds . Each rounds should be half full.
9. When hot simmer the flame and pour half ladlefuls of batter into each rounds.
10. Now increase the fire to medium and allow the appams to cook, pour oil in the rounds whenever needed.
11.With the help of a fork turn the unniappam to cook on the other side to a golden color. Once the Unniappam are browned both on the bottoms and tops, remove them from the pan using a metal skewer or  with a pair of forks/ tongs. 

12. Allow them to drain well on paper towels and repeat the same process to make the rest of the appams.
13. Cool them to room temperature. Serve and Enjoy!

Varations :  This can be made with wheat flour instead of rice flour using the above-mentioned method with the exception of plantain.


Notes : These keep for a couple of days after which they spoil, if refrigerated they stay a little longer and it tends to become hard. You can soften them by steaming or microwaving them for a couple of minutes before serving.

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Cheers!
Sangeetha