🍯 Nei Appam Recipe | Traditional Ghee-Fried Sweet Appam

“Golden, ghee-soaked nei appams — festive sweets straight from grandma’s kitchen!”

A beloved treat during South Indian festivals, Nei Appam is made with wheat flour, rice flour, jaggery, and coconut, all cooked gently in ghee until golden. These bite-sized delights are soft inside, crispy outside, and bursting with the warmth of cardamom.

A staple during Varalakshmi Vratham, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Karthigai Deepam, and Avani Avittam, this traditional recipe carries the flavor of family heritage in every bite.

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✨ Ingredients

🔸 Wheat flour – ¾ cup
🔸 Rice flour – ¼ cup
🔸 Jaggery – 1 cup
🔸 Water – 1½ cups
🔸 Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
🔸 Coconut pieces – ½ cup
🔸 Ghee – as needed for frying

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🥣 Method

1️⃣ Prepare the Dry Mix

In a mixing bowl, combine:
🔹 ¾ cup wheat flour
🔹 ¼ cup rice flour
🔹 1 tsp cardamom powder
🔹 ½ cup coconut pieces
Mix well and set aside.

2️⃣ Make the Jaggery Syrup

In a pan, add 1½ cups water + 1 cup jaggery.
Heat on low-medium until jaggery dissolves completely.
Let it begin to boil—no string consistency needed.
Syrup should feel sticky — turn off the flame.

3️⃣ Combine Syrup and Flour

Slowly pour the hot jaggery syrup into the flour mix.
Stir constantly to avoid lumps.
Add 1–2 tsp water if batter feels too thick.
Let rest for 15–20 minutes.

4️⃣ Cook the Nei Appam

Heat appam pan (appe / kuzhi paniyaram pan) on medium-low.
Add a little ghee in each mould — just to coat.
Pour batter ½ to ¾ full in each mould.

5️⃣ Flip and Cook

Flip when edges are golden and pulling away.
Cook other side for 3–4 mins. Add ghee if needed.
Flip once more for even golden crispiness.
Always cook on medium-low for best texture.

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✅ Tips for Perfect Nei Appam

Use fresh ghee for best aroma.
Don’t overfill the moulds — they puff better with space.
Let batter rest to soak up the syrup well.
Use dark jaggery for deeper flavor.

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🎉 When to Make Nei Appam

Varalakshmi Vratham
Vinayaka Chaturthi
Krishna Jayanthi
Karthigai Deepam
Avani Avittam (esp. for families with unmarried boys)

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Video Tutorial