Unni Appam is a traditional South Indian sweet snack, particularly popular in Kerala. It’s made using rice flour, jaggery, banana, and coconut. Here’s how you can make it:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup grated jaggery (adjust according to taste)
- 2 tablespoons grated coconut (fresh or desiccated)
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
- 2-3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), for frying
Instructions:
- Prepare the batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour, mashed banana, grated jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom powder, baking soda, and roasted sesame seeds.
- Mix well:
- Mix all the ingredients thoroughly to form a smooth batter. If the batter is too thick, you can add a little water to adjust the consistency. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Heat the appam pan:
- Heat an appam pan (also known as appe pan or paniyaram pan) over medium heat and add a few drops of ghee into each mold.
- Pour the batter:
- Once the pan is hot, pour a spoonful of batter into each mold, filling them up to about 3/4th full.
- Cook the appams:
- Cover the pan and cook the appams on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown.
- Flip and cook:
- Using a skewer or spoon, flip each appam to cook the other side. Add a few more drops of ghee if needed.
- Cook until golden:
- Cook the appams for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are evenly golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the pan:
- Once cooked, remove the appams from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess ghee.
- Repeat:
- Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more ghee to the pan as needed.
- Serve:
- Serve the warm Unni Appams as a snack or dessert.
Tips:
- You can add a handful of chopped nuts like cashews or raisins to the batter for extra flavor and texture.
- Adjust the sweetness according to your preference by adding more or less jaggery.
- Ensure the appam pan is not too hot, as the appams may burn quickly.
Enjoy these delicious and aromatic Unni Appams!
