UNNIAPPAM KERALA STYLE

Unni appam is a traditional, tasty and popular snack of Kerala (south India). Unni means small and appam means rice cake. Unni appam is prepared from rice,jaggery, banana, cardamom powder, ghee and coconut pieces.

For making unni appam you need special vessel/ebelskiver/ paniyaram moulds. Bananas and cardamom powder with small bits of coconut pieces fried in ghee brings out a unique taste and flavour. My whole family loves this snack, specially my son and it is our favourite evening snack.

INGREDIENT

Boil rice                         1  1/2 teacup
Bananas(small)            3
Jaggery                          1 teacup
Cardamom                    2-3
Coconut thin bits or
Cashew raisins             2 tbsp
Ghee
Oil

METHOD

Rinse and soak rice overnight in water.

Drain the water from the rice. In a blender add the rice, powdered jaggery, bananas and cardamom pods and blend into fine paste.

Fry the coconut bits or cashew raisins in ghee till golden brown in colour and add to the batter.

Let it rest for 2-3 hours.

Heat oil or ghee(clarified butter) in a paniyaram pan/ unni appam pan, almost half the mould should be covered in oil.

When the pan becomes hot, lower the fire to low heat and add a tablespoon of batter, it should cover 3/4 th of the mould.

When the unni appam becomes golden brown, turn the unni appam with a spoon or wooden stick and cook the other side to a golden brown.

Once cooked remove and drain in a kitchen towel.

Add oil in the mould and again repeat the same process with the rest of the batter.

Tasty unni appam are ready and can be served as evening snacks.

HOW TO MAKE IDLI STEP BY STEP

Idli is an ideal South Indian breakfast and is famous all over India. It is light and nutritious and can be eaten by people of any age. Even doctors recommend this when one is sick as it is easily digested. Making Idlis is not at all difficult but preparing the batter takes a lot of time as it has to be fermented. Rice and urad dal are the main ingredients which goes into preparing idlis.

I love idlis and like to eat when ever I am hungry . Long time back people used to use mortar and pestle to grind idlis ,it was a tough job. After the invention of grinders it is very easy to make idli batter. This dish was limited to south india , but now it has become one of the most popular dish in whole of India.

INGREDIENTS

Ponni boiled rice                                            5   1/2 tea cup
Black gram(urad dal) without skin         2  1/2 tea cup
Fenugreek seeds                                             2 tsp
Salt to taste
Refined oil                                                         2 tsp

METHOD

Wash the rice and urad dal separately. Soak rice in 6 tea cup water and urad dal in 6 1/2 tea cup water separately for 5-6 hours. Add the fenugreek seeds in rice.

Clean the grinder add urad dal and the soaked water in it and grind it. Occasionally stir it with a spatula.

Grind atleast  for half an hour or  till it doubles

Take the ground urad dal out from the grinder and put it in a deep bottomed big vessel. Keep it aside.

Now add the rice and the soaked  water in it in the grinder and  grind it for 20-25 minutes. Switch off the grinder.

Add the ground urad dal into the ground rice and grind for 2-3 minutes.

Take everything out in the deep bottomed vessel. Add salt and mix it nicely.

Cover it with a lid and ferment for 6-7 hours. The idli batter will rise up.

Mix nicely the idli batter. Pour the batter in special idli vessels after greasing them with oil. Pour water in the bottom of a pressure cooker and place the idli stand inside it. Steam it for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.

Take it out and let it cool down.  Take a butter knife and remove the idlis.

Serve hot with coconut chutney/tomato chutney/sambar.

•  Note:
• The batter can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days.
• Idli batter is ideal for fermentation  at 32 - 38 deg C,  it will take 6-7 hrs.
• Fenugreek helps in fermentation
• Adding soaked water helps in fermentation
•  Salt helps in fermentation
• The batter can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days