Unniyappam Recipe | Unni Appam (2024)

By Dassana Amit
Last Updated: January 25, 2023

Gluten Free, Vegan
5 from 9 votes • 5 Comments

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.

This Unniyappam Recipe post from archives first published in October 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.