Video guide to making Kerala's jaggery vattayappam or steamed rice cake
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serving: 6
Ingredients
350 gms raw rice
300 gms jaggery
2 cups of grated coconut
¼ cup of rice flakes
¼ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
Salt as required
½ tsp cardamom powder
¼ tsp cumin powder (roasted)
Water as required
Method
Step: 1
Wash and soak the raw rice for 3 to 4 hours. Then, drain the water and keep it aside.
Step: 2
In a separate bowl, soak the rice flakes for 10 minutes and then drain the water.
Step: 3
In a saucepan, melt the jaggery in one cup of water on medium heat and then keep it aside to cool down.
Step: 4
Make a fine batter by grinding the soaked rice and the rice flakes in a mixer grinder with half the quantity of jaggery syrup. (Make sure to strain the jaggery syrup to remove impurities.)
Step: 5
Transfer the batter to a bowl.
Step: 6
To create a thin consistency, take two tablespoons of batter, pour it into a pan, and add about 200 ml of water to it. Boil it on a medium flame till it starts to thicken. Make sure to stir the mix with a spatula continuously. After that, keep this aside for cooling.
Step: 7
Once the mix cools down, blend this with the remaining rice batter and then add yeast and sugar. Mix it well. Cover the utensil, and keep it aside for about 5 to 6 hours to ferment and rise.
Step: 8
Meanwhile, grind the grated coconut into a fine paste with the remaining jaggery syrup and keep it aside.
Step: 9
When the batter has risen, add the coconut paste, salt, cardamom powder and cumin powder. Mix well and then cover and keep it aside for about an hour.
Step: 10
In a steamer, add enough water to steam cook.
Step: 11
Grease a round tray with clarified butter or oil. Pour the prepared vattayappam batter until it is half full. Place it in the steamer, and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Soft, tasty and healthy jaggery vattayappam is ready. Cut into the desired shape and serve.
Note:
You can place roasted cashews and raisins on top before steaming or mix them with the batter. (Optional)
Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.
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