Unniyappam

This is a very special snack item of Kerala . It is prepared mostly during Vishu time (Malayalam New Year. Also known as Neyyappam (because it is fried in ghee) or Karaappam. It is made with a special cookware , somewhat like the muffin pan . But without that too you can make it by just deep frying the batter- its disadvantages are that the shape would not be that of the authentic type and also it requires more oil.

It is a compulsory item to be kept for the Vishu kani so also names as kaniappams. In olden times every house hold used to keep homemade appams and they prepare it for the large joint family . Well, preparing is also easy in such houses as there will be lot of ladies to divide the different jobs. It used to be fun in the preparation stage as well as the eating part . But now in the nuclear families where all are busy to leave alone make it but also eat, most house holds rely on the bakery bought ones which are also good but not equal to the homemade ones in the freshness and taste. When I was small I used to wait to eat this after taking the Kani. Its a real tasty snack which can be prepared with less ingredients. the making of it requires a little time and effort though.

Here in USA, especially in the area where we live we do not get ready made ones. so for Vishu I made my own appams . Though it was little tedious I enjoyed it as I felt grown up making my own appams. All the more I was even happier when I had a special guests who came to view my kani and enjoyed the appams, its none other than my sweet little neighbor friend , a one and half year old Boy names Aryan. I felt like my efforts were rewarded and Little Krishna blessed me.

Makes 25 appams

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice flour - 3 cups
• Grated jaggery - 2 cups
• Coconut pieces- 1 cup
• Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
• Milk- 1 cup
• Ripe plantains- 2 
• Cardamom powder - 1 tablespoon
• Ghee to fry

How to Prepare:

Step 1: Mash the ripe plantains well. You can mash it with your hand or using a blender adding little milk. It should not be watery but well mashed without lumps.

Step 2: Melt the jaggery to a thread like consistency and filter out the impurieties.

Step 3: Dry roast the rice flour till a nice aroma comes. Do not brown it.

Step 4: Mix the mashed bananas ,Roasted  rice flour and the jagery syrup.

Step 5: Mix well with a ladle or in a blender adding little milk till it reaches an idli batter consistency. Add the sesame seeds, coconut pieces, cardamom powder and three tablespoons ghee . Mix well. Keep it aside for two to three hours.

Step 6: When it is ready to fry, add a tablespoon ghee into each hole of the appakkara and allow it heat up. then add one tablespoon batter into each hole and fry for 1 minute , flip over to the opposite side and cook well till it turns golden brown. You can check if its cooked by inserting a toothpick or a skewer inside , if it comes out clean it is well cooked.

Step 7:Transfer it to a paper towel and allow it to cool.

Step8: Serve hot . You can store the unused appams in an airtight container for almost a week. Enjoy the delicious appams.