Classic Kerala breakfast — unniyappam made with small sweet rice balls.
Ingredients
- small sweet rice balls
- Coconut oil for cooking
- 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
- Salt to taste
- Accompaniments as required
Method
Make batter: Soak 2 cups raw rice and half cup urad dal for 4 hours. Grind smooth. Add half cup jaggery powder, half tsp cardamom, 1 ripe banana (mashed) and salt. Mix well. Ferment 2-3 hours.
Add coconut: Stir in 3 tbsp freshly grated coconut into the fermented batter.
Check batter: Should be thick — thicker than dosa batter. It should drop slowly from a spoon.
Heat unniyappam pan: Place the unniyappam pan (small round-mould pan) on medium heat. Add a generous drop of coconut oil to each cavity.
Test oil: A drop of batter in the oil should sizzle immediately.
Fill cavities: Pour batter into each cavity — fill three-quarters full.
Fry first side: Fry on medium heat 2-3 minutes until the base is deep golden and crispy.
Turn: Use a skewer to turn each unniyappam over. They should come out cleanly when the base is golden.
Fry second side: Fry 2-3 minutes until the second side is equally golden.
Serve: Drain on paper. Unniyappam should be round, dark golden, sweet and soft inside. Serve warm as a snack or prasad.