Unniyappam Recipe with Roasted Rice Flour

This is an instant unniyappam recipe made with roasted rice flour, ripe banana, jaggery, and fried coconut, then cooked in a paniyaram pan until browned on the outside and soft on the inside. This version comes together without soaking, grinding or resting the batter! (purists won't approve!) So you can go straight from mixing bowl to pan, even on a busy festival morning. They are sweet, slightly chewy, coconutty and great with a cup of chai!!

Recipe at a glance: uniyappam

• ⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
• 🍳 Cook Time: 25 minutes
• 👥 Servings: 12 to 14 unniyappams
• 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop
• ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
• 😋 Recipe Highlights: Instant unniyappams
• 🎯 Key to Success: Mash the banana into a smooth liquid.

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Jump to:

• Recipe at a glance: uniyappam
• My First Batch of Unniyappam
• Ingredients you will need
• How to Make Unniyappam (instant)
• Serving Suggestions
• Unniyappam recipe FAQs
• More Related Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments

My First Batch of Unniyappam

I made these unniyappam as an experiment and to satisfy my cravings instantly. The traditional recipe involved long hours of soaking and resting, etc., so I decided to try using roasted rice flour. I wanted a simple version that worked with ingredients I already had, and this batch surprised me by turning out so well that I immediately wrote down the quantities.

What I loved about this version is that there is no waiting around. You melt the jaggery, fry the coconut, mix everything into a thick, pourable batter and start frying.

After I shared this first successful batch on Instagram, a few people suggested adding wheat flour or semolina along with the rice flour, and others recommended letting the batter ferment for a few hours before cooking. I tried both. In my trials, the unniyappam turned out harder than I like them to be. So I'm sticking with this version for its simplicity.

Ingredients you will need

See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and quantities.

Roasted rice flour

This is the base of this version. I have only got the best results with roasted rice flour.

Jaggery

Jaggery gives the unniyappam its deep caramel-like sweetness and colour. Melt it with water before adding it to the batter. If your jaggery contains impurities, strain the melted syrup before using.

Ripe banana

Use a ripe banana and mash it completely smooth. I used one Chiquita banana and made sure there were no lumps before adding it to the flour.

Coconut

Fresh coconut pieces are fried in ghee until golden. This small step makes a noticeable difference: you get little nuggets of toasted coconut throughout the unniyappam.

Nigella seeds

You know me by now; if I use banana, then I also use nigella seeds! Go check my recipe for banana bread or pazhampori! You may know it as kalonji, and you can replace it with black sesame seeds.

Cooking fat

You can use coconut oil, ghee or sunflower cooking oil. Coconut oil gives the most coconut-forward flavour, while ghee makes the unniyappam especially fragrant. Sunflower oil is a good neutral option.

Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Unniyappam (instant)

Serving Suggestions

Unniyappam are made for a cup of chai. They're good warm or at room temperature, and they store well, so you can make a batch ahead and have them on hand for a few days.

They also make a nice addition to a Kerala-style tea-time spread because this version needs no fermentation or resting time; it's an easy one to make on a festival morning when the kitchen is already busy with other dishes.

If you like the rice flour, jaggery and coconut combination here, a few other recipes on my blog lean on the same flavours. Kalathappam is another small-batch Kerala appam made with rice, jaggery and coconut, just steamed rather than pan-fried. Sweet Banana Dumplings use the same ripe banana and chai-time appeal as this recipe, in a quicker, bite-sized form, and Pazham Pori turns ripe plantain into another classic Kerala chai-time fritter. And if it's the rice-coconut-jaggery pairing you're after in other shapes, Ela Ada wraps it in a steamed rice parcel, while Ariyunda rolls it into simple roasted-rice and coconut balls.

Unniyappam recipe FAQs

Can I make this unniyappam batter ahead of time?

I haven't tested this recipe with an overnight or refrigerated batter. The successful batch was cooked immediately after mixing, so I recommend following the tested method rather than assuming the batter will behave the same way after resting.

Why did my unniyappam turn dark before the centre cooked?

The most likely culprit is excessive heat. Jaggery and banana encourage quick browning, so the outside can look done while the centre is still soft. Lower the heat to medium-low and give the unniyappam more time, turning them regularly.

Can I use plain rice flour instead of roasted rice flour?

I haven't had the best results with plain rice flour. Because this recipe was developed and successfully tested with roasted rice flour, I would not swap it without expecting the texture and flavour to change.

Is unniyappam traditionally made for Onam?

Yes. Unniyappam is a favourite Onam-time sweet in Kerala; the kind of snack made at home during the festival for kids and adults to enjoy with chai. This instant, roasted rice flour version is a convenient option for a small family when you want unniyappam without spending hours soaking or fermenting the batter.

Can I use ghee instead of oil for cooking unniyappam?

Yes. Ghee works for cooking the unniyappam and gives them a richer aroma. Coconut oil or sunflower oil also work well. If using coconut oil, don't mix other oils. If using ghee, you may add some refined oil.

More Related Recipes

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