One thing I really like about a lot of traditional food, and this is true across the world, is that their names are pretty straight forward (especially if you know the language). In those days, people named dishes as they saw them, no fancy stuff. By and large, once you heard the name of a dish, you pretty much knew what it was!
My post today is about the neiyappam. This south Indian preparation is an “appam” (this refers generally to dumplings, steamed or deep fried) cooked in “neyy” (which is ghee), hence the name “neiyyappam”! See what I mean?
The neiyappam is very much a part of Palakkad Iyer festive fare and is one of the few sweet preparations that is made during festivities as well as religious or ritualistic celebrations. Most other festive preparations are usually linked to, and prepared for particular festivals.
This deep fried dumplings are also offered as “prasadam” (food offered to God and then distributed to devotees) in many temples in Kerala.
What the Palakkad Iyers call neiyappam, is known as “Unniappam” in Kerala and “Vella Paniyaram” in Tamilnadu.
In Kerala, the neiyappam is made by pouring ladles of a similar batter directly into ghee and deep-fried as a slightly larger flattish cake. Whereas the unniappam (our neyappam) is made by pouring a little batter into the depressions of a special pan called the “appakaaral” which looks like an aebelskiver pan.
So I guess one could refer to the neiyappam as a south Indian aebelskiver!
On an aside, I recently read here (and I didn’t know this even though we lived in Cochin!) that the Jewish community in Cochin makes a version of neiyappam for Hanukkah.
Again, like a lot of traditional food that I know, the neiyappam doesn’t really score in the “looks” department. A dark brown, almost burnt looking ball doesn’t really inspire love at first sight but don’t let appearances deceive you.
Give the neiyappam a chance and you will discover that the unattractive crusty exterior hides a delightfully soft and spongy cardamom flavoured interior dotted with thin coconut slivers. On a personal note, neiyappam is not one of my favourites and yet I am recommending it here because I have so far never met anyone else who doesn’t like them. In fact, I mostly have always witnessed scenes where everyone is fighting to get the last few ones left in the tin!
I have no idea how old this recipe is but I do know that people have been making neiyappams for generations. This recipe was given to me by my mother who got from her her mother.
In fact I remember watching my maternal grandmother making neiyappam. Even though there was a gas stove in the kitchen, she used a small kerosene stove (haven’t seen these in some time now) to make the neiyappams. This was probably because it was easier to clean up oil splatters or dripped and dried batter spots!
The kerosene stove was kept on the floor in a corner of the kitchen, near the window. My grandmother had a small, low three-legged stool which only she used and she would sit on this and the “appakaaral” would sit on the stove.
Though I don’t like neiyappam, I remember being fascinated by the batter bubbling in their little puddles of ghee-sesame seed oil and watching the batter slowly oozing from the tops of the neiyappams as they cooked.
On asking, I also remember being told that the oozing batter meant that all was well in the neiyappam world and they would turn out just right! And it’s true, though the oozing batter does even less for the already sad appearance of the neiyappam, it really makes all the difference in the texture.
You will find many recipes which use a bit of black gram lentils (urad dal) to make these dumplings, but this recipe below is how they’re traditionally made at home.
A banana is added to increase the flavour and softness of the neiyappam, but this means that it will spoil after a couple of days. Since we usually make smaller quantities at home, there are rarely any leftovers.
These can also be made without the banana, but the dumplings will be less spongy in texture.
Neiyappams are really not too difficult to make. They just need a bit of practice, and of course an “appakaaral” or an aebelskiver pan.
My “appakaaral” is somewhat of a family heirloom as it was given to me by my mother-in-law, who was given it by her mother-in-law. It is made of bell metal and weighs 2 kg which means it is quite heavy.
But these were made this heavy so that once the pan got heated it would retain that temperature for a long time ensuring uniformly well cooked dumplings which would never stick to the pan. Of course this was in those days when cooking was done using firewood and stove temperatures were difficult to adjust.
The weight also meant that the pan was stable and unlikely to tilt, an important consideration given that it contained very hot oil/ ghee. Lighter pans, even of the non-stick variety, with more depressions (mine has only three) are available in stores today.
Neiyappam - Deep Fried Rice And Jaggery Dumplings/ South Indian Aebelskivers (GF)
Ingredients
- 1 glass raw rice
- 3/4 glass jaggery powdered
- 1 banana small
- 4 pods cardamom
- 2 tbsps coconut thinly slivered pieces
- ghee sesame seed and oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Soak the rice in water for about 3 hours. In the meanwhile, dissolve the powdered jaggery in half a glass of water. If there are impurities in the jaggery, decant the solution.
- Drain the water from the rice and grind the rice to a smooth paste/ batter using the jaggery solution. If the batter is too thick and difficult to grind, add just enough water as and when required.
- Chop the banana into 3 or 4 pieces, and add them along with the seeds from the cardamom pods to the batter. Grind some more till everything becomes a smooth batter.
- The batter should have the pouring consistency of pancake batter. After the grinding is done, add the coconut slivers to the batter.
- Place the "appa kaaral"/ aebelskiver pan on the stove and pour equal amounts of ghee and sesame seed oil (about a tbsp of each) into each depression. Each depression should be half full.
- Wait until the oil-ghee mixture is hot and then turn down the heat to medium. Pour small ladlefuls of batter (enough to half-fill each depression) into each depression. The batter will sink to the bottom of the depression and the fat will rise and some will overspill into the pan. This is fine as it will ensure that the top part of the neiyappam also gets cooked.
- As the neiyappams cook, you might start seeing batter ooze up from inside through the top. This is normal and desirable, as I mentioned before, (though not pretty, perhaps) as it means they're cooking well!
- With a well seasoned/ non-stick pan, the neiyappams will slightly pull away from the sides of the depression as they cook and float up. Turn them over, using a fork so that the top of the neiyappams are now in the depression and can brown as well. If they don't float up once they have cooked and the undersides are browning, gently coax them using the fork. Too much pressure may cause the neiyappams to break.
- Once the neiyappams are browned both on the bottoms and tops, remove them from the pan using a "pappada kuchi" (a metal skewer used for frying pappads) or a pair of forks/ tongs.
- Allow them to drain well on paper towels. These dumplings tend to remain a little oily even after they've drained on the towels.
- Cool them to room temperature. They're now ready to eat. These keep for a couple of days after which they spoil, but stay a little longer (but become hard) if refrigerated. If refrigerated, you can soften them by steaming/ microwaving them for a couple of minutes before serving.
- They are my contribution to Meeta's Monthly Mingle, being hosted at Jugalbandi this month
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
I did not know that neiyappams and unniappams were the same thing ( we’re Namboothiris from Kerala) and I’ve always just known these as neiyappams. Growing up, it was one of my favorite sweet treats.It has been ages now since I had one of these.
It’s always pleasing to learn some new traditional dishes.
Hey Aparna,Neiyappams look delectable!!! They are a favorite of mine too, my MIL is from palakkad and she taught me how to make neyiappams.I love your blog! Especially your cakes!!! I hope to be able to bake and decorate like you do 🙂 Have a great day!!!Best Regards,Ambika.
I am an ardent fan of Neyyappams! We usually don’t make it at home, so we wait for Vishu! Our neighbours make them and sends it across to us! Yours look so yumm!
I guess you are one of those who we call exceptions to the rule:). We love these appams and they disappear at such alarming rates that I always make them in dozens! I like your second click better and now am envious of your appakaaral. I need to get one like yours!
Neyappom one of my favourite, mom used to make for special occasion too and not just few a load she used to keep, i still dodn’t know how our moms had all the energy to make things like this in heaps.Didnt know about thejewish community making this, wish i had few of these .Dont have a pan, but have seen here in european kitchen shops they have a similar pan but not so deep.Maybe should buy that for trying.
I enjoyed reading this post. I usually see these in the sweet shop during some festival or the other – can’t have more than one or two. And you’re right, poor things are not v well endowed in the looks dept but your pics are nice.
We make something like this that is flat and deep fried. Lovet he idea of making them like appams … less ghee. Shall try them with banana the next time. 🙂
You live in Goa and you cook like this?!??! You must be in heaven :)Love your posts and your macaroons look beautiful. I just stumbled upon your blog today and wanted to say great work!
I heart that appakaaral! Oh, if I could have one like that!I have seen this sweet at the Kerala foodjoint in INA!
I love vintage cookware. Your appakaaral is gorgeous and it sure makes delicious Neiyappams.
thats really yummy aparna..I love neiyappams!..
They’d be called Tim-bits in Canada!(Doughnut holes from our national coffee chain Tim Horton’s)I have an aebelskiver pan, cast iron, I will have to try these. The sesame seed oil that we find here is quite powerfully flavourful – Chinese type. I assume the one you refer to is different?I think I have seen similar pans in the city – so good to know what they are for! It really is beautiful.
that was my moms signature dish. she simply called it ‘appam’ and i remember that bell metal appam pan she had. thanks for a beautiful entry.
what a beautiful read! i have never had this, but want to .. the maker is a treasure aparna!
Wow this looks great and yum yumm…I loved thats traditional pan.
Your neiyappam has got a nice shape and lovely color, not too dark.
Looks lovely.Mine turns out a bit darker.Never knew abt the hanukkah version.
Looks nice, drooling !!
I’ve never made these although I’ve seen them around, and they always sound so delicious. Yours sound divine.
You said it. Scores low on looks but one bite into it, they soar high in rating! heirloom appakaral is the star-piece here.
It is always fascinating and really heartwarming… you know, it is a constant reminder of how small the world is and how not so very different we all are.
Wow.. thats my fav .. At home amma makes it with whole wheat too. On my recent visit to India I got a appam patra 😀 Non stick one though to satisfy our cravings for appam 😀 I am going to try your version soon :)Loved the pics.. a visual treat
oh simply delicious aparna. i can’t believe i missed this! loved reading this post. and thank you for the entry!
Oh WOW .. never had these .. but they look amazing! I’d be popping these into my mouth so fast!
This is really interesting. It looks tasty, and I can see where it would go over very well for Hanukah.
Hi Aparna,What a beautiful kal and how mouthwatering the appams are, great post. I just wanted to comment on ‘Vella appam’. I’m from Tamil Nadu and we call it Kuzhi paniyaram. The ‘Vellai Appam’ is a Chettinad special and is not sweet. I think the ‘Vella Appam’ you are referring to is the jaggery kind of kuzhipaniyaram. Vella meaning jaggery and not Vellai meaning white.Thanks for the post.
i think that every culture has some kind of fried dough recipe, which is understandable considering how delicious it is! I love the flavors that are infused in this with the coconut and banana. Delicious.
the pan looks gorgeous aparna. this used to be a standard snack for us during our childhood days. my grandmom had immense patience you see 🙂
I didn’t know about unniappams myself when I was a kid. Always knew only neiyappams. :)Namboothiri fare is supposed to be very tasty.Thank you, Ambika. :)Lucky you, Ria. Good neighbours.Harini, I sure hope you can find an appakaaral like this one. I’d never part with mine except to give it to my daughter. :)I know F, I can’t match my mom’s energy either! Maybe you should try the european pans.Actually Sra, there are a lot similar sweets we make which look kinda not too good but taste marvellous. :)Shwetha, what’s the connection between living in Goa and cooking like this? :)Thanks.Anita, you can probably extend your next trip down this side to Kerala or TN and acquire one.Tim-bits? Never heard of them till now, Natashya.Do try these. Yes, our sesame seed oil is not very strong and light brown in colour.Am glad I could bring back memoeries of your mom. Some people do refer to these as just appams.Cynthia, you just said what I believe.Hi Anon, thanks for that input. Vella refers to jaggery here and not white. True, Joanne. Not difficult to understand why though considering how good fried dough can be!
Wow,,u neyyapam looks so yummy..Fisrt time here..Nice recipes…
Hi from Pennsylvania 👋🏾 I’m Binge reading all your palakkadan category n totally lovv reading them!! I lovv unniappams but couldn’t find the traditional recipe I had from my MIL, n when I read your post I’m encouraged to try this some time soon!