Delicious Unni Appam Recipe

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Unni appam is the like if an apple fritter had a child with banana bread. Moist on the inside, crispy on the outside, and totally delicious. These small, sweet fritters are made out of rice flour, jaggery, bananas, coconut, and lots of southern Indian love. Unni appam ingredients come together to make a flavorful, sweet batter that is then fried in an appam pan until it turns into golden, brown crispy balls that are full of sweet surprises.

Unni appam is a popular dish Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Appam are usually rice and coconut pancakes cooked on a tawa. Unni appam is a sweet version of the same recipe but cooked on a paniyaram pan. These fritters are soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It has a beautiful texture and a deep, rich flavor thanks to the jaggery and bananas. These sweets have a strong religious and cultural importance as they are a part of onam sadya, prasadam and Naivedyam, etc. There is a slight variation in the recipes from kitchen to kitchen, but the main ingredients remain almost the same. So let us make these sweet appam together, just follow this step-by-step recipe with pictures. 

Ingredients For Unni Appam Recipe

Flour Mixture 

The combination of wheat flour and rice flour adds a nutty flavor and chewy texture to the appam. For simple appam, you can also use idli dosa batter but this recipe calls for a special, sweet batter.

Sweetener 

Jaggery powder gives a unique sweetness to the dish and adds a distinctive aroma to the recipe.

Liquid

Water helps to bind the ingredients together and helps to create a smooth batter.

Fruits

Ripe bananas contribute to the overall sweetness of the dish while also adding a soft texture and aroma.

Fat

Ghee adds a rich flavor and helps to prevent the appam from sticking to the pan.

Coconut 

Chopped coconut provides a slight crunch and adds a subtle coconut flavor to the dish.

Salt

Salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Leavening Agent 

Baking soda helps to make the appams fluffy and light by producing carbon dioxide gas, which causes the batter to rise.

Step by Step Instructions For Unni Appam Recipe

To begin, in a pan, add the jaggery along with ½ cup of water.

Heat the pan over medium flame until the jaggery melts.

Next, filter the jaggery syrup using a sieve and set it aside.

In a separate pan, add ¼ cup of ghee and fry the chopped coconut until it turns golden brown. Then remove from heat and set it aside.

Moving on to the batter, in a blender or mixer, add the ripe bananas, wheat flour, rice flour, jaggery syrup, salt, and baking soda.

Grind everything to a smooth paste.

Then transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and add sesame seeds and fried coconut. Mix well.

Now, heat a paniyaram pan over medium flame and add some oil or ghee in each hole.

Once the pan is hot, pour 1 tablespoon of the prepared batter into each hole. Fill each hole up to ¾th of its capacity.

Then cook the appam in low-medium flame until small holes appear on top and the side turns golden brown.

Then, flip the appam using a spatula or spoon and cook the other side until they are fully done.

Finally, remove the appam from the pan and serve hot with chutney or your preferred side dish.

Serving Suggestions

There are various ways to serve Unni Appam. You can serve them hot after an Indian meal like bitter gourd poriyal as a snack or dessert along with other desserts like paal payasam etc. To make them more indulgent, drizzle some honey or chocolate sauce on top of the appams. Additionally, you can serve them with coconut chutney or peanut chutney for a delicious savory twist. Alternatively, serve them with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream and garnish with fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, or bananas. To add a sweet and spicy flavor, sprinkle some powdered sugar or cinnamon powder on top of the appam. They are also perfect for packing in your lunchbox or taking on a picnic for a healthy and tasty snack.

Storage Suggestions

Storing Unni Appam is a simple process that ensures you can enjoy them later. First, allow the appam to cool down completely before storing them. Then, place them in an airtight container or a ziplock bag. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. However, if you want to store them for a longer period, refrigerate them. When you are ready to serve them, remove the appam from the container and let them come to room temperature. To reheat the appam, you can microwave them for 10-15 seconds or steam them for a few minutes. However, avoid reheating the appam for a long time as it can make them hard and rubbery. By following these simple steps, you can store Unni Appam and enjoy them later without compromising on their texture and flavor.

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