Vattayappam/Steamed Rice Cake (Kerala Snack)

Vattayappam is commonly served as snack or breakfast in Kerala.The main ingredients are rice flour and coconut.This  is my Mom's favorite dish too.This steamed dish certainly a favorite among most of the christian families.My mom  prepares this dish very tasty and delicious too.She gave me the recipe and i cooked it for the tea time snack.My hubby likes it.I find this dish the queen of steamed delicacies from Kerala,for the ease of preparation and taste.

Ingredients:

1. rice flour - 1 cup
2. coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Rava(semolina) - 2tbsp
4. Sugar- 1/4 cup
5. Raisins - a handful,for garnishing
6. Salt  to taste
7. Yeast - 1/2tsp
8. Cardamom -5-8,crushed 

 Method:

• Cook rava with 1 glass of water in a low flame by stirring it till it becomes soft& loose.Let it cool.Crush cardamom &keep aside.
• Add yeast and 1/2tsp sugar to 2tsp lukewarm water.Allow it to rise.
• Ground the coconut  coarsely with sufficient amount of water (don't add too much water)and keep aside. 
• Take1cup of rice flour in a vessel ,add the cooked rava to this and mix well. Add yeast&sugar, mix well.Add grounded coconut and salt &mix well. The batter should be thick in consistency like Idly batter.
• Keep the batter 4-5 hours in a warm place for fermentation.
• Once the flour rises,stir it well and check whether the sugar & salt are in right proportion.If so,keep it unstirred for another half an hour.Add crushed cardamom to the fermented batter. 
• Spread ghee evenly in a pan and pour the batter into it(fill upto half the pan).Garnish with raisins.
• Steam it for 15-25 minutes in a steamer.
• When it is done,let it cool for sometime.Cut the vattayappam into desired shapes and serve it with a cup of tea/ coffee.
  
  TIPS: 
  
  1. As the batter quantity increases during fermentation,use a vessel which can hold almost double the quantity.
  2.  Fine rice flour is mandatory for this dish(you can use idiyappam or appam rice flour,but puttu rice flour is not ideal for this dish). 
  3. Do not use Raw rice(pachari),rice flour is must. 

Serve hot with tea/coffee.....

Happy Cooking!!