Neyyappam

       

    "Neyyappam" is a traditional popular Kerala Snack like unniyappam which has a crispy side frill and a soft , puffy center.  Raw rice is soaked  in water, grind  to a smooth batter using jaggery syrup and allowed to ferment. The fermented batter is then mixed with cumin, cardamom powder, black sesame seeds and ghee fried coconut bits. A ladle full of batter is poured to a deep kadai filled with hot oil and it is deep fried till both sides are evenly browned. Traditionally ghee is used for frying neyyapams, but nowadys it is replaced with oil. The batter is almost similar to uniyappam but neyyappam batter doesn't have banana as one of its ingredient as in unniyappam, which inturn increase its shell life compared to unniyappam.

Ingredients

1. Pachari/Raw rice - 1 cup
2. Jaggery  syrup - 1/2 cup
3. Salt - a pinch
4. Cardamom powder -1/2 tsp
5. Cumin powder -1/4 tsp
6. Black sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
7. Coconut bits- 2 tbsp
8. Ghee -2 tbsp
9. Oil/ghee - for frying

Method

1. Clean and wash rice well.Soak in water for about 5 hrs
2. Drain the water and grind it using salt, jaggery syrup to a smooth  grainy textured batter consistency (like dosa batter).
3. Transfer to an airtight bowl and allow to ferment for about 5-6 hrs (depending on temperature of the region)
4. After fermentation add cumin cardamom powders and black sesame seeds to the batter.
5. Meanwhile fry coconut bits in ghee and pour to the batter.
6. Mix everything well.
7. Heat a deep bottomed kadai, preferably an iron kadi and add oil about 3-4 inches in depth.
8. Make the temperature to medium and add a ladle full of batter to the heated oil.
9. The batter will slowly puff up and when one side is brown, flip the other side.
10. When both sides are evenly browned, drain them and transfer to a paper towel.

Notes

• The batter should be rightly fermented neither too much nor too low to get the right neyyapams
• The sugar should be slightly on the higher side when you mix the batter before  allowing to ferment.
• The batter should be slightly grainy in texture.
• The frying should be done on medium heat to properly cook the neyyappam.