Melt-in-Your-Mouth Moments: Indulge in Unniyappam Bliss

| Team Atomberg
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Moments: Indulge in Unniyappam Bliss

Equipment

  • Atomberg Mixer Grinder with Liquidising Jar
  • Small, thick-bottomed pan
  • Unniyappam pan (also known as Appam pan, Paniyaram pan, or Appam Chatti)
  • Small spoon

Method of Preparation

Preparing the Fermented Batter:

  • Start by washing the raw, short-grained rice a few times.
  • Once well washed, transfer the rice to a bowl with about 2-3 cups of water.
  • Let it soak for 3-4 hours or overnight.
  • Transfer the softened rice grains to the Atomberg mixer grinder liquidising jar.
  • Add the jaggery to the jar as well and blend it into a semi-smooth paste using the Coarse Mode.
  • Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the banana to the jar.
  • Use the Coarse Mode to blend the banana well and add it to the bowl.
  • Add a pinch of salt to the paste and mix well.
  • Set it aside in a slightly warm place to let ferment for about 6-8 hours or overnight.

Preparing the Coconut Tempering:

  • Add fresh coconut pieces to the chopper jar of the Atomberg Mixer Grinder to chop it down into small pieces.
  • Once the batter is well-fermented, heat a thick-bottomed pan and add 2-3 tbsp of ghee.
  • When hot, turn down the flame to low.
  • Add the freshly chopped coconut to the pan.
  • Fry the coconut in the ghee till it turns a deep golden brown and fragrant.
  • Add the black sesame seeds, fry for about 10 seconds, and turn off the heat.

Preparing the Final Batter:

  • To the fermented paste, add the ground cardamom.
  • Then add the coconut tempering you just prepared.
  • Mix well.

Making the Unniyappams:

  • Start by heating the Unniyappam pan on high heat.
  • Once hot enough, add enough ghee to cover and overflow all the craters.
  • Turn the heat down to low-medium and start adding spoonfuls of the batter into the craters.
  • Once the bottom is cooked well and brown, turn them over with a small spoon.
  • Let the other side cook as well for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Keep rotating for even cooking till they are fully cooked through.
  • Transfer the cooked ones to a plate or bowl.
  • Repeat till the entire batter is used.
  • Serve hot as it is or with melted jaggery on the side.

Tips and Tricks

  • Safety is utmost when using the Atomberg Mixer Grinder. So, when using the liquidising jar, ensure the blue light glows, indicating that the jar is locked in place and safe to use.
  • If you don't have melted jaggery, then you can also use jaggery powder. Simply replace the 1 cup of melted jaggery with ½ cup of jaggery powder. Instead, make sure to use some water to maintain the intended consistency.
  • This recipe uses both jaggery and bananas to make the dish sweet. So, if you want to reduce the sweetness, you can use less jaggery and instead use water to maintain the consistency. 
  • Similarly, to increase sweetness, you can use more jaggery, more bananas, or even an overripe banana to increase the sweet content. This way, you can adjust their quantity depending on how sweet you want the Unniyappams to be.
  • To check if they are cooked through, you can use a toothpick to poke the centre. If the toothpick comes out clean, then they have been cooked well.