Unni appam

Unni appam is a traditional Indian snack, specifically from the Kerala region. It is a small round sweet dish made from rice, jaggery, banana, roasted coconut pieces, roasted sesame seeds, ghee and cardamom powder which are ground into a batter, poured into a special mould, and deep-fried until it becomes crispy and golden brown.

Ingredients

The main ingredients used in the preparation of Unni appam are:

• Rice: This is the primary ingredient. The rice is soaked for a few hours and then ground to a fine paste.
• Jaggery: This is a type of sugar made from sugarcane and is used to sweeten the dish.
• Banana: This adds a unique flavor to the dish and also helps in binding the ingredients together.
• Coconut: Roasted coconut pieces are added to the batter for a crunchy texture.
• Sesame seeds: These are roasted and added to the batter for an extra crunch.
• Ghee: This is clarified butter and is used for deep frying the appams.
• Cardamom powder: This adds a unique flavor to the dish.

Preparation

The preparation of Unni appam involves soaking the rice for a few hours and then grinding it into a fine paste. The jaggery is melted and added to the rice paste along with mashed bananas, roasted coconut pieces, roasted sesame seeds, ghee and cardamom powder. The batter is then poured into a special mould called an appakaaral or paniyaram pan and deep-fried until it becomes crispy and golden brown.

Cultural significance

Unni appam is a popular snack in Kerala and is often made during special occasions and festivals like Onam and Vishu. It is also a common offering to Hindu deities during religious ceremonies and rituals.

See also

• List of Indian snacks
• List of deep fried foods
• Kerala cuisine