Achappam ('achu' meaning mould and 'appam' meaning food made with flour) is a deep fried rose cookie made with
rice flour
Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening a ...
.
It is a signature
Syrian Christian food believed to come from Dutch influence.
In
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, it is an essential snack for Christians on special days such as Christmas and marriage ceremonies.
It has since spread to South East Asia where it has various local names such as ''kuih loyang'' (brass), ''acuan'' (mould), ''cap'' (stamp), ''bunga ros'' (rose flower), ''bunga durian'' (durian flower), ''goyang'' (shake), ''kembang loyang'', ''dok jok''(water lettuce), etc.
Preparation
Achappam is made using patterned irons or molds to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression. The iron is heated to a very high temperature in oil, dipped into the batter, then re-immersed in the hot oil to create a crisp shell around the metal. The iron is lifted from the oil after the cookie separates from the iron.
Achappam batter is made from a blend of
wheat flour
Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or ''bread ...
or rice flour, eggs, sugar and
coconut milk
Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...
.
Achappam can be eaten plain and is also commonly spiced with sesame, cumin, and cardamom.
See also
*
Appam
Appam is a type of thin pancake originating from South India. It is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, traditionally cooked in an ''appachatti'', a deep pan similar in shape to a wok. It is common in the cusine of Kerala and Tam ...
*
Kokis
Kokis ( si, කොකිස්) is a deep-fried, crispy Sri Lankan food made from rice flour and coconut milk. Although considered as a traditional Sri Lankan dish, it is believed to have come from the Dutch. This is an important dish when cele ...
*
List of fried dough varieties
This is a list of fried dough foods. Many cultures have dishes that are prepared by deep frying dough in many various forms. Doughnuts are a type of fried dough food that are covered separately in the Wikipedia article List of doughnut varieties.
...
*
Struva
Rosette cookies are thin, cookie-like fritters made with iron molds that are found in many cultures. The name ''rosettbakkels'' comes from Norwegian. Rosettes are crispy and typified by their lacy pattern. Rosettes are traditionally made during ...
References
Indian pastries
Christmas food
Kerala cuisine
Indian snack foods
Deep fried foods
{{India-cuisine-stub