Unniyappam Recipe | Unni Appam
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 unniyappam if you do not have an appe chaati. If offering as naivdeyam, then you can add a pinch of edible camphor in the batter.
How to make Unniyappam Recipe
1. Rinse 1 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 from 3 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 till ¾ 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!
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
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.
Dassana’s 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
This Unniyappam Recipe post from archives first published in October 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
Can I make this recipe without adding the banana?
Yes, you can make unniyappam without banana, though the texture and flavor will be a little different. Banana gives softness and sweetness, so if skipping it, you can add a bit more jaggery or coconut for taste.
Is there an acceptable substitute for the jaggery? I would love to try these.
You could try with palm sugar or coconut sugar. Even brown sugar would work.
Was very easy to follow and make. It’s now a family favourite. Best unniyappam recipe ever !!
Very good very nicely explained.
Thank you for the explanation. A query please. Can we use mini mogra basmati rice in place of raw rice, as we use this mini mogra for our daily use
Yes, you can use mini mogra basmati rice. Welcome.
Dear, the way you explained is very clear. Thanks. But wish to ask you a small clarification in this style of preparation. How long the batter should rest before cooking? And as we add banana will it stay outside the fridge for 3 days?
Trust you will help me.
Thanks
Lin
there is no need to rest the batter before preparation. you can use the batter right away. avoid keeping outside the fridge as the batter will get fermented and get spoiled.
Hi Dassana! Can I bake these in muffin trays and can I use frozen bananas? Thank you!
Hi Subha, thank you for your comment.
Traditionally unniyappam are usually made in an appe chatti or they can be deep fried. Baking them in muffin trays will change both the texture and taste, making them more like a soft cake.
You can bake them in muffin trays if you are okay with a soft, cake-like texture. But it won’t be traditional unniyappam in taste or texture.
Yes, you can use frozen bananas. Thaw them completely, drain any excess liquid, and then mash and use.