Soft & Spongy Traditional Kalathappam
A delicious and traditional South Indian sweet snack made with raw rice, jaggery, and aromatic spices, fried or baked to perfection with crispy caramelized shallots and coconut bits.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the Rice Batter: Wash and soak 1 cup of raw rice. Grind the soaked raw rice along with 3 tablespoons of cooked rice and required water into a smooth, flowing batter.
- Add Jaggery Syrup: Melt 300 grams of jaggery with a little water, strain to remove impurities, and let it cool. Mix this jaggery syrup thoroughly into the ground rice batter.
- Add Spices & Leavening: Add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin seed powder, a pinch of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to the batter. Mix well until smooth.
- Sauté Garnish: Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a small pan, roast the coconut bits until golden brown, and add the sliced shallots. Sauté until they turn deep golden and crispy.
- Cook the Kalathappam: Pour the batter into a greased pan or traditional vessel, top it with the fried shallots and coconut bits, and cook/bake it on low-medium heat until soft, spongy, and well-cooked inside.
Video
Notes
ice Soaking: Make sure to soak the raw rice for at least 3 to 4 hours so it grinds into a very smooth batter.
Jaggery Filtering: Always filter the melted jaggery to remove dust and small stone impurities before mixing it into the batter.
Consistency: The batter should have a smooth, flowing consistency similar to Dosa or Cake batter. Do not make it too watery.
Cooking Heat: Cook on a low to medium flame with a lid on so that the inside cooks thoroughly without burning the bottom.
Jaggery Filtering: Always filter the melted jaggery to remove dust and small stone impurities before mixing it into the batter.
Consistency: The batter should have a smooth, flowing consistency similar to Dosa or Cake batter. Do not make it too watery.
Cooking Heat: Cook on a low to medium flame with a lid on so that the inside cooks thoroughly without burning the bottom.