Kerala Sweet Fried Rice Cakes

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

Tiny golden-brown rice cakes beloved across Kerala, especially during festivals like Onam and Vishu. They get their rich caramel flavor from melted jaggery and ripe banana, with crisp edges and soft coconut-studded centers. Traditionally shaped in a special multi-cavity pan, these bite-sized treats are deeply nostalgic for anyone who grew up in God's Own Country.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 210 kcalCalories
• 8 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 32 gCarbs
• 1.5 gFiber
• 14 gSugar
• 2.5 gProtein
• 15 mgSodium
• 160 mgPotassium
• 25 mgCalcium
• 1.2 mgIron
• 3 mgVitamin C
• 35 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the batter

• 1 cup raw white rice (soaked 2 hours, drained)
• 3/4 cup grated jaggery
• 1 large ripe Kerala banana (about 1/2 cup mashed)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
• 2 tablespoons ghee, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinch of salt

For frying

• 1 cup coconut oil or ghee, for shallow frying

Directions

1. Grind the soaked and drained rice with just a few tablespoons of water into a thick, slightly grainy paste, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Melt the grated jaggery with 2 tablespoons of water in a small pan over low heat until fully dissolved, strain out any grit, and stir the warm syrup into the rice paste.
3. Add the mashed banana, grated coconut, melted ghee, cardamom powder, cumin seeds, and salt; whisk until you have a smooth, thick batter that drops slowly from a spoon (thicker than pancake batter, thinner than dough).
4. Cover and let the batter rest for 15 minutes so the rice absorbs moisture and flavors meld.
5. Heat an appe pan or a small kuzhi paniyaram skillet over medium heat and add about 1 teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil into each cavity.
6. Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon of batter into each cavity, filling it about three-quarters full, and fry for 2 minutes until the bottom turns golden.
7. Carefully flip each cake with a small spoon or skewer and fry the other side for another 2 minutes until deep golden brown and cooked through.
8. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and repeat with remaining batter, greasing the pan between batches.
9. Serve warm, stacked on a banana leaf or plate; they are best eaten the same day while still slightly crisp outside and tender within.

Cook’s Notes

• Use very ripe, spotty bananas for the best natural sweetness and soft texture.
• If you do not have an appe pan, drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil and shallow-fry like small fritters; the shape will be less uniform but the taste is identical.
• Keep the heat at medium so the cakes cook through without burning the outside; test one cake first to gauge timing.
• Strain melted jaggery to remove any sand or impurities common in unrefined palm jaggery.
• Leftover cakes can be warmed in a low oven for 5 minutes to refresh their crisp edges.

You might also like

Asian

Prawn Moilee

Asian

Finger Millet Balls (Ragi Mudde)

Asian

Tamil Nadu Vegetable Lentil Kootu with Coconut

Desserts

Indian Reduced Milk Dessert with Saffron and Pistachios