Nei Appam with Dairy Milk Drizzle: A Sweet and Creamy Baisakhi Treat

What’s the best way to celebrate a festival? For many, it’s through food that brings families together and carries generations of tradition. Vishu, the Malayalam New Year, marks a fresh beginning, celebrated with grand feasts, rituals, and sweets that symbolize prosperity. Falling on the 14th or the 15th of April, this festival is a season of renewal, with the first glimpse of Vishukkani said to bring prosperity for the rest of the year. With so many festive sweets being made during the occasion, Nei Appam is a special favorite.

Nei Appam, literally "ghee appam," is a golden-brown, bite-sized sweet dish prepared using rice, jaggery, and bananas. These fried delights are crunchy on the outside and fluffy within, presenting a naturally rich flavor based on the lavish use of ghee. Prepared traditionally as an offering to gods, Nei Appam finds itself a staple in Vishu festivities. A special touch can be added by drizzling melted Dairy Milk chocolate over these warm appams for a rich fusion of South Indian tradition combined with a creamy, contemporary aspect. This recipe maintains the authenticity of Nei Appam while imparting a festive makeover for celebratory use.

Recipe for Nei Appam with Dairy Milk Drizzle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice (soaked for 2-3 hours)
• ¾ cup jaggery (melted and strained)
• 1 ripe banana (mashed)
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ¼ teaspoon dry ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons grated coconut
• ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• ½ cup water (as needed for batter consistency)
• Ghee for deep frying
• 50g Dairy Milk chocolate (melted for drizzle)

Method:

1. Grind soaked rice into a smooth batter with little water.
2. Add in melted jaggery, mashed banana, cardamom, dry ginger powder, coconut, sesame seeds, and baking soda, mixing well.
3. Heat ghee in an appam pan (paniyaram pan) and fill the moulds with the batter.
4. Fry on low-medium heat till golden brown.
5. Drizzle melted Dairy Milk chocolate over the appams when warm and serve for a creamy festive finish.

7 Tips for Nei Appam with Dairy Milk Drizzle

Use Jaggery

The deep, caramel-like flavor of jaggery gives Nei Appam its distinct character. Use only melted and strained jaggery to avoid impurities. Palm jaggery, if used, adds a still deeper richness, giving the appams a more traditional touch while countering the Dairy Milk drizzle.

Let the Batter Rest for Fluffier Appams

Resting the batter for a minimum of one hour allows it to ferment slightly, making the inside of the appams softer. This natural fermentation makes the dish better, offering a contrast of the crunchy outside and the velvety chocolate drizzle.

Control the Heat for Perfectly Cooked Appams

Frying appams at the correct temperature is important. Maintain the flame at low-medium to facilitate even cooking. If the oil is heated too high, the appams will get browned too fast on the outside and will be undercooked inside.

Select Ripe Bananas for Natural Sweetness

A ripe banana introduces natural sweetness and increases the softness of Nei Appam. If the banana is not ripe, then the appams will become dense. Mash the banana well before mixing it in the batter to get a fine mix.

Less Ghee Usage with Paniyaram Pan

Although Nei Appam is conventionally deep-fried, cooking in a paniyaram pan allows you to get the same golden color with far less ghee. The process makes the dish less heavy but retains its characteristic richness.

Melt Dairy Milk Chocolate Properly

Melt Dairy Milk chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in short stretches, stirring often to avoid overheating. Silky, evenly melted drizzle adds richness to the appam and creates a rich contrast with traditional aspects.

Garnish with Nuts

To add a celebratory touch to Nei Appam, sprinkle the slivers of almonds or ground cashews and Dairy Milk drizzle. It not only gives a crunch but also a great visual appeal to the dish that is apt for Vishu celebrations.