Neyyappam

Instructions

1. Soak the white rice for 8 hours, drain the water completely from the rice and keep it aside.
2. Melt jaggery with water, sieve the jaggery syrup to discard dirt's, if any.  Allow the syrup to cool down.
3. Now, to blender, add half the rice and half the syrup and blend to a coarse batter. Blend the rice and syrup in batches. The batter should neither be runny nor thick. Mix the batter well, cover and keep it to ferment for 4 to 5 hours.
4. After fermentation, if you find the batter to be runny, you can add 1 Tbsp. of All Purpose Flour once at a time and mix to bring to the correct consistency.
5. Toast coconut pieces or grated coconut in ghee until light golden brown and keep it to cool.
6. Add the toasted coconut along with ghee to the batter, add baking soda and mix well. You can also add black sesame seeds and cardamom powder, if you have or if you like. Mix the batter well.
7. Heat enough oil in a deep heavy bottom kadai, reduce the flame to medium - low and pour a small hollow laddle full of batter right in the middle of the kadai. The Neyyappam begins to float to the surface of the kadai and puffs up, which indicates the batter is in correct consistency and the inner part of the neyyappam has been cooked well. Once the bottom part has turned brown in color, turn the neyyappam to the other side and cook till it turns brown. Serve it as your tea time snack.