Soft and sweet unniyappam – How to make the traditional Kerala snack with a pinch of nostalgia

Unniyappam is probably one of the most “adored” snack of Kerala. When Mohanlal's evergreen character 'Ashokan' in the 1992 film Yoddha finds resemblence between his young accomplice 'Unnikkuttan' and the sweet fried dumpling 'unniyappam', the latter became synonymous to cuteness. It is not surprising. The fluffy round snack is literally named baby-cake (unni- appam). It has always been part of Malayali's nostalgia.

It is no wonder Ashokan's mother chose to send a canister full of Unniyappams to her brother in another country. Unniyappam can easily bring a sense of homeliness to the individual.

Check out this pretty simple recipe of unniyappam that can be enjoyed as a tasty snack with evening tea.

Ingredients
3 cups raw rice
5 small bananas
750 gms jaggery
¾ cup water
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cardamom powder
A pinch of salt
Coconut shards
Coconut oil
Preparation
Wash the raw rice and strain
Soak them for at least 2 hours
Coarsely grind the soaked raw rice
Make jaggery syrup by melting it in ¾ cup of water
Into the rice powder add banana puree, jaggery syrup, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt
Mix well
Keep this batter aside for at least 6 hours
Fry the coconut shards in ghee
Mix these too in the batter
Heat coconut oil in an unniyappam mould
Pour the batter in the holes
Flip the unniyappam when one side is nicely cooked
Enjoy hot unniyappam with tea or coffee.