By Dassana Amit
Last Updated: January 25, 2023
Gluten Free, Vegan
5 from 9 votes • 5 Comments
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Unniyappam recipe with step by step pics. Unniyappam or Unni Appam are sweet fritters made with rice, banana, a few spices and coconut. This sweet snack is a popular one in the scenic state of Kerala in South India. This Unniyappam Recipe is quite a nutritious preparation, and is gluten free as well as vegan-friendly too.
Unniyappam is one of those special sweets snacks from Kerala and are also served in the Onam Sadya. They are also offered as prasad in some temples in Kerala.
The origin of the name lies in Malayalam language, where ‘unni’ refers to ‘small’ and ‘appam’ refers to a rice cake. Apart from Kerala, it is also popular in Karnataka and some more regions in South India.
When I make unniyappam I prefer to use raw rice. With rice flour the appams have a dense texture at times. It could be due to the organic rice flour I use. So I stopped making unniyappam with rice flour and started making them with raw rice. There is a noticeable difference in texture as well as taste when using raw rice.
I choose a simple method and grind everything in the mixie. Thereby saving time and effort. Of course, you do need to soak rice for a couple of hours. Then later grind everything and prepare the unniyappam with the batter.
This recipe makes for 28 appams. To make them you need the appe chatti pan or the– Æbleskiver pan. To make a bigger batch you can easily double or triple the recipe.
You can even deep fry the unniyappamif you do not have an appe chaati. If offering as naivdeyam, then you can add a pinch of edible camphor in the batter.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Unniyappam Recipe
1. Rinse1 cup of rice in the water a couple of times. Then soak rice in enough water for 3 to 4 hours. You can even soak overnight if you want. Use any short grained rice. I used sona masuri rice.
2. Later drain all the water and add the soaked rice in a grinder jar.
3. Add 2 medium sized banana or about ¾ cup chopped bananas. I have used overripe bananas.
4. Then add ½ cup jaggery powder (or grated jaggery) and seeds from3 to 4 green cardamom.
For a more sweet taste you can add ¾ cup jaggery. The addition of jaggery also depends on the sweetness of the bananas. So if the bananas are less sweet, you can add more jaggery.
5. Then add ¼ cup water or add as required.
6. Grind till you get a fine rava like consistency in the rice grains. Grind till you get a semi-fine consistency in the batter.
7. Now pour the batter in another pan or bowl. Keep aside. The batter has a medium consistency.
Frying coconut
8. Now heat ½ tablespoon coconut oil or ghee in a small pan or tadka pan. Add 3 tablespoons of chopped coconut pieces. Chop the coconut in small pieces.
9. Stirring often start frying the coconut pieces.
10. Fry the coconut pieces till they become golden.
Making unniappam batter
11. Add the fried coconut pieces along with the remaining oil in the batter.
12. Then add 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder and ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
You can also add a pinch of salt if you want. Baking soda can be skipped too, but adding them makes the unniappam have a soft texture. You can even add less amount of baking soda.
13. Stir and mix very well.
Making unniyappam
14. Now heat the appe chatti pan. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in each mould.Keep the flame to a low. You can also use ghee instead of coconut oil.
15. When the oil becomes hot, with a spoon pour unniyappam batter in the chatti moulds. Fill till¾ of the mould.
16. On a low to medium-low flame cook till the base is golden and crisp.
17. Then turn over each unniyapam with a wooden skewer or stick.
18. You can turn over a couple of times more for even cooking.
19. Once golden and crisp from all sides, then place them on kitchen paper towels. Prepare unniyapam with the remaining batter in the same way.
If there is oil in the moulds, then no need to add extra oil while cooking the unniyappam.
20. Serve unniyappam warm or at room temperature as a sweet snack. If you are not consuming them immediately then you can even place them in a casserole. In the casserole, these unni appams stay warm for some time.
The recipe makes for 28 unniyappam. These stay good at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. You can even refrigerate them.
Few more snacks recipes for you!
- Ulli vada
- Sweet paniyaram
- Kuzhi paniyaram
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Unniyappam Recipe | Unni Appam
By Dassana Amit
Unniyappam are sweet fritters from the Kerala cuisine and are made with rice, banana, a few spices and coconut.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Save
Prep Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Cuisine Kerala, South Indian
Course Sweets
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 28 unniayappams
Units
Ingredients
for soaking rice
- 1 cup rice or 200 grams rice – use any type of short grained rice
- water as required
for frying coconut
- ½ tablespoon oil for frying coconut
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coconut
other ingredients for unniyappam
- 2 medium sized banana or 175 grams bananas (with their peels) or ¾ cup chopped bananas
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- ½ cup jaggery powder or add as required
- ¼ cup water or add as required
- 3 to 4 green cardamoms
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda – you can also add ⅛ teaspoon baking soda (about 2 pinches)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon coconut oil or ghee for each mould
Instructions
soaking rice
Rinse 1 cup rice in water a couple of times. Then soak rice in enough water for 3 to 4 hours. You can even soak rice overnight if you want.
Later drain all the water and add the soaked rice in a grinder jar.
Add ¾ cup chopped bananas,½ cup jaggery powder or grated jaggery and seeds from 3 to 4 green cardamoms.
For a more sweet taste you can add ¾ cup jaggery.
Then add ¼ cup water or add as required.
Grind till you get a fine rava like consistency in the rice grains. The batter should be ground to a semi-fine consistency.
Now pour the batter in another bowl or pan. Keep aside.
frying coconut
Next heat ½ tablespoon coconut oil or ghee in a small pan or tadka pan. Add 3 tablespoons chopped coconut pieces. Chop the coconut in small pieces.
Stirring often fry the coconut pieces till they become golden.
making unniyappam batter
Add the fried coconut pieces along with the remaining oil in the batter.
Then add 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda. You can also add a pinch of salt if you want. Baking soda can be skipped too, but adding them makes the appams have a soft texture.
Mix very well.
making unniyappam
Now heat the appe chatti pan. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon coconut oil in each mould. Keep the flame to a low.
When the oil becomes hot, with a spoon pour batter in the chatti moulds till ¾ of each mould.
On a low to medium-low flame cook till the base is golden and crisp.
Then turn over each unniyapam with a wooden skewer or stick.
You can turn over a couple of times more for even cooking.
Once golden and crisp from all sides, then place the unni appams on kitchen paper towels. Prepare unniappam with the remaining batter in the same way. If there is oil in the moulds, then no need to add extra oil.
Serve unniappam warm or at room temperature as a sweet snack. You can even place them in a casserole. In the casserole these appams stay warm for some time.
The recipe makes for 28 unniyappam. These stay good at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. You can even refrigerate them.
Notes
- This recipe can be easily scaled to make a bigger batch.
- You can add jaggery depending upon the sweetness of bananas and according to your taste.
- You can fry the Unniyappam in ghee instead of coconut oil.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
Nutrition Facts
Unniyappam Recipe | Unni Appam
Amount Per Serving
Calories 60Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Vitamin A 5IU0%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Unniyappam Recipe post from archives first published in October 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
