Unniyappam ! (Deep fried Rice & Jaggery balls from Kerala)

Even if I have created a translation for unniyappam there,I am sure it's awkward in many ways.To translate word by word,Unni means tiny and appam refers to pancake of sorts.Since these are made small ,the name in Malayalam is completely suitable for the dish..The word Unniyappam evokes lots of memories here.Summer vacations,ripe mangoes and lots of cousins to play.Those were the most awaited days in childhood.To appease all the children folks,evening snack most often will be hot hot unniyappams.We used to fill them in our frock pockets and compete each other to fill more.How sweet those days were ! 

Unniyappams are one of the main offerings in many Kerala Temples.In Ganesha Temples,'appam moodal'(covering the deity with unniyappam) is an auspicious ritual ! They prepare unniyappam adding lots of ghee and the taste is exceptional !

Ingredients

1 heaped cup of boiled rice

3/4 cup of grated/crushed jaggery

3 small banana chopped

1-2 tsp black sesame seeds

1 cardamom,crushed

handful of chopped coconut fried in ghee/oil (optional)

pinch of baking powder (optional)

1/4 cup water (approx)

Ghee/oil to fry

*Utensil used is a chatty like this

Method

• Soak rice in cold water for 4-5 hours.
• Drain and grind the rice with jaggery and bananas adding water little by little.The batter should be medium thick.
• Now pour this batter into a bowl and add sesame seeds,crushed cardamom,fried coconut pieces and baking powder.Mix well and keep it closed for half to one hour.
• Heat ghee/oil in unniyappa chatty (half of each hole).Pour spoonfuls of batter to each hole and fry in medium flame till it turn brown.Now Turn it over and fry the other side.Shift them into paper towels.

*These nostalgic unniyappam is on it's way to Celebrate Sweets-Sweets with Rice  event guest hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N' Tasty Recipes,event by Nivedita

and CBB-Evening Tiffin event hosted by Radhika.