Vella Appam/Vella Paniyaram - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Vella Appam/Nei Appam/Vella Paniyaram - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Appam was a sweet snack/Neiveidhyam which I always enjoyed eating from temples or friends but never tried doing as I didn't know it was such easy dish. Once, I came across this recipe in a magazine, I was really surprised to see how easy the recipe was and wanted to give it a try. Bingo !!first attempt itself was a super hit. it is the feast for the eyes ... that golden brown or can i say little more than golden.. beautiful dark amber colour.. sparkling. Here is how to do it..

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Nei appaam/vella paniyaram

 Ingredients:

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 3/4 to 1 cup
• Yellow banana - 1 and 1/2 mashed
• Coconut gratings - 2 tablespoons
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Cooking soda/baking soda - 2 pinch
• Oil to make paniyarams.

Procedure:

• Add 1/4 cup of water to the jaggery and keep aside in the morning itself. Let it take its time and dissolve so that we can strain and use the jaggery water. (here we are going to use only jaggery water instead of ordinary water)
• Soak the raw rice 2 to 3 hrs.
• Take the rice and coconut gratings in the mixer and grind. Add the filtered jaggery water to the rice. Let it run smooth. If required, add more jaggery water. The consistency of rice-jaggery batter should be not-very-fine. 
• Now add the cardamom powder and banana. Run the mixer again. The batter will become thick now. Add more jaggery water to loosen it up little. (if the jaggery water is over, then add ordinary water).
• Transfer this batter to another container and off 2 pinches of baking/cooking soda. 
• Mix thoroughly. 
• Heat the paniyaram kadai with some oil in each kuzhi. You can use ghee instead of oil.
• When the pan is hot, add the batter to each kuzhi. 
• When one side is cooked flip it over. Let it brown both the sides. It takes 5 minutes to cook each side.
• Now the heavenly neiveidhyam is ready to be offered to the God with"out" and with"in".

Happy cooking !!