Unniyappam

Unniyappam is a sweet dumpling made using a paniyaram pan.These sweet dumplings are crispy outside and pillowy soft inside. This is one of the dish made on Gokulashtami / Krishna Jayanthi.

When we were young, my mother used to make unniyappam very often. I loved it a lot. She had a normal paniyaram pan and so used to deep fry them. I just like its texture. Though it is not a healthy treat, once in a while you can enjoy these traditional appams. 

I can still feel the taste of my mother's unniyappam. Always wanted to try it out, but i didn't have a paniyaram pan. Recently bought one and couldn't wait for long. Called up amma and took the recipe from her. Tried it out and yes it tasted simply great. We all loved it a lot.

Try it out on this Gokulashtami and enjoy the festival.

Ingredients

1 cup Raw rice (soaked for 3 - 4 hours)
1/2 - 1 cup Jaggery (as per your taste)
1 tsp Cumin seed (dry roast and powdered)
1 tsp Cardamom powder
3 pinch Cooking Soda
2 tbsp Coconut (cut into small pieces and fry in a little ghee)
1 pinch Salt
Ghee or Oil for frying
Water as required


Method

• Soak raw rice for 3 - 4 hours and grind it into a smooth paste by adding very little water.
• Melt jaggery by adding little water and strain the impurities from it.
• Add it to the ground raw rice batter. Mix well. It should have a consistency of idli batter.
• Keep this aside for about 2 - 3 hours. When it is time for making appams, add powdered cumin seed, cardamom powder, cooking soda, fried coconut and salt. Mix well.
• Heat paniyaram pan with little ghee or oil in each hole. Pour batter in each hole to fill it up.
• Cover and let it cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
• Flip it over and let the other side also cook for another minute. If you see that the ghee is less, add a bit more.
• When both the sides are golden brown colour, take out the unniyappams.
• Serve it hot or at room temperature.

Note: 

1. Always keep in mind that while grinding the raw rice, add very little water, just enough to make a smooth paste. The batter should not be runny. It should be very thick.
2. While melting jaggery, add little water.
3. As mine is a non stick paniyaram pan, i added very little ghee. Traditionally, in olden days, my mother used to have a normal paniyaram pan, so she used to fill the whole pan with ghee, to fry the unniyappam.
4. Some people add mashed banana to the batter, to make soft unniyappams. 
5. I have added cooking soda, so that the unniyappam will be soft and nicely cooked.

My non stick paniyaram pan

Thanks for visiting

Happy Cooking!!