Vattayappam

Vattayappam

Vattayappam

Veg Vegan

A thick, spongy, steamed rice cake made from a fermented batter of rice and coconut — risen naturally to a pillowy softness. A traditional Kerala-Christian breakfast and Christmas staple, sweeter and denser than appam, eaten with fish curry or coconut milk.

Cuisines

Travancore Kerala Kerala Christian

Best for

Breakfast Snacks

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Rice 1 cup Rice , raw
Coconut 1/2 cup Coconut , grated
sugar 1/2 cup Sugar
salt 1/4 teaspoon Salt
cardamom 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom , powder
Yeast 1 teaspoon Yeast , active dry
water 1 cup Water , warm
Banana 1 Banana , ripe, preferably Nendran variety

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash and soak the raw rice in water for 4 hours.
  2. 2 Dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy.
  3. 3 Drain the soaked rice and grind it along with the cooked rice, grated coconut, and water to a smooth batter.
  4. 4 Add sugar, salt, and cardamom powder to the batter and mix well.
  5. 5 Stir in the yeast mixture and combine thoroughly.
  6. 6 Cover the batter and let it ferment in a warm place for 6-8 hours or until it doubles in volume.
  7. 7 Grease a round steaming pan and pour the fermented batter into it.
  8. 8 If using, slice the banana and arrange it on top of the batter.
  9. 9 Steam the batter on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  10. 10 Allow the Vattayappam to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Tips

Ensure the batter is of a pouring consistency, similar to pancake batter, for the best results.