Saturday, September 18, 2010

Kinnathappam - A Traditional Dessert

Kinnathappam is another one of the Eid specials and is a traditional dessert made especially during special occasions. It is a soft, slightly wiggly but firm, all white with specks of cumin, cardamom flavored, melt in your mouth kinda dessert. The history of Kinnathappam is similar to Paalaada, with a South Tamil Nadu Origin and mostly made by Muslim population in South Tamil Nadu/Trivandrum regions. The name Kinnathappam is because it is made in a "Kinnam" meaning plate. As a kid, I used to drink the batter for the Kinnathappam as much as or even a little more than I actually ate the Kinnathappam. It is one of the best desserts ever!


Makes two 9" Plates
Sona Masoori Rice- 1 cup (or any good variety of raw rice)
Water- 2 cups
Eggs- 2
Coconut Milk- 2 cups (thick)
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Sugar- 1 cup
Cardamom- 4 pods (powdered)
Ghee- 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1/2 tsp


1. Soak the rice for at least 3 hours.
2. Grind the rice into a fine paste with water as needed using a grinder. When grinding is done, add the remaining water as mentioned in the recipe. Total quantity of water used should be 2 cups.
3. Now using a muslin cloth/cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer, strain the batter.
4. In a mixer beat the eggs, sugar, salt and coconut milk and blend everything together.
5. Add this to the rice batter together with the powdered cardamom. The consistency of the batter would be watery.
6. Heat water in a steamer and place a Steel Plate or Cake Pan in the steamer. I used a 9" cake pan, as I didn't have a steel plate, which is traditionally used.
7. When the steam starts to come, add 1/2 tsp of ghee to the pan.
8. Add 1/4 tsp of cumin to the pan, when the ghee starts to melt. Leave the pan in the steamer for a minute for the cumin to slightly coat with the ghee.
9. Take the Pan out of the steamer and pour half of the thoroughly mixed batter to the pan, filling around 1 1/4 inch height.
10. Close the pan with an aluminium foil and transfer it back to the steamer and close the steamer.
11. Let it steam for 25-30 minutes.
12. Take the pan out of the steamer and let it cool a bit. Cut into desired shapes and serve. Repeat the same with the remaining batter to make another plate of Kinnathappam.

Note:- It would be ideal to grind in a grinder than a mixie/mixer, if you want the Kinnathappam to be soft. My first attempt was using a mixer and did not come out that soft. So this time I used the grinder. If you do not have a grinder, try using cold water to grind in a mixer (that's a tip from my mom).


The taste is enhanced when Kinnathappam is served chilled. You could avoid the cumin, if you do not like its taste in a dessert.  And when making this, do not forget to taste the batter before steaming it up! You do not want to miss the taste of the batter either :-)

Update:- This recipe was featured as one of the "30 Best Recipes of 2010":

57 comments:

  1. Dear Fatima
    I am just planning to make Paalaada and you have come up with another great recipe!! I think I shall try this 1st. I had it once in 2007 , in Kuwait, during Eid. Really very tasty!!
    have a nice sunday

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  2. Oh the whiteness id dragging me for one piece :) They look lovely!

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  3. W'w Awsum......I Can feel the Aroma of Kinnathappam (and itz delicacy ) and my memories in Kochi(during Eid....!) Grt jobb....! keep Staarring*.......!

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  4. Hey Fathima, hru doing? long time i visited your blog..kinnathappam thinna kalam thanne marannu.. just made me rem those days..nice pic too

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  5. Hi Fathima,

    Hope you had a great Eid...Lovely kinnathappam...i like it so much..Thanx for sharing dear...

    Dr.Sameena@

    www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com

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  6. Looks very very enticing..... Delicious pieces to savor.... :)

    Ash...
    (http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)

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  7. That looks perfect..the smoothness of this dish makes it look like a set custard. I bet it melts in the mouth. :)

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  8. Totally new..looks awesome..very very beautiful clicks!

    US Masala

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  9. A really new dessert for me!Looks soft & gooey!hey never heard of cumin in a dessert..must be a good twist

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  10. I have heard of this dessert but never tried it. Looks so good and softy !!

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  11. Wowwww beautiful looking kinnathappams..

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  12. Lovely kinnathappam Fathima..Would love to try a piece....

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  13. From your blog only I came to know that we can make so many creative dishes out of rice apart from the pulaos and biryanis....the sweet looks so delectables....and perfect to....

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  14. Kinnathappam looks delicious Fathima, I love them. I have to make it as soon as possible.

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  15. this is one recipe i have been searching for and never found it.. urs looks abs mouthwatering!!

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  16. Very nice and new type of desert. Looks delicious and wonderful.

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  17. Very unique dessert which am seeing for the first time & would love to have a piece of it...

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  18. Wow! This looks like an interesting dessert! YUM!!!

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  19. Sounds new but interesting. Looks so good.

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  20. to be honestly bloggers ...this one iz the best traditional dessert..fathima fabulous job...i had it b4 when i was pregnant...its taste iz superb cant define....coz itz truely divine...

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  21. A very new recipe to me. It looks gorgeous and am sure must have tasted great too.

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  22. The dessert look so yummy n inviting ... jus loved ur previous post n the video too !!!

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  23. ithu onnu undakki nokkanam...kandittu kothiyayi!!!

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  24. Perfect and yummy..looks so pretty..will surely try this

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  25. This is one of my fav..i have one waiting in my draft folder.. this looks abslty yummy.

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  26. This is one of my fav..i have one waiting in my draft folder.. this looks abslty yummy.

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  27. Beautiful kinnathappams. I tried your paalaada recipe. It came out well. But missed a snap.
    Will try this too.

    http://indianyummykitchen.blogspot.com

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  28. Wow!kinnathapm looks gorgeous!ente nattil (kannur)kinnathappam nalla dark brown color anu.steam cheyyanathalla.Very difficult to make.

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  29. Am drooling over the pics, Fathima..Kinnathappam looks fabulous, love it!!

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  30. Hi dear...hru doing?

    Wish U had a great Eid this year...;)

    This dessert is completely new to me...looks super yummy...worth trying! :D

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  31. This is a new dessert and I must say it just looks amazing.

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  32. OMG!!..This is my fav.. ur clicks are wonderful!!i want to make it tmrw itself!!

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  33. hey fathima....first of all congrats for the gr8 name of the blog......love it.....i always have a dream of opening a snack or coffee bar with this name,though it has not been a reality yet.......ur presentations are awesome....first time here.the recipe seems to be interesting.will surely try it...c u again same place...Biny

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  34. hi dear just to let you know that your wonderful recipe has been included in 'The 30 Best Recipes of 2010' - regards abraham and susan

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  35. Congratulations! A well deserved winning recipe for the 30 best recipes of 2010. I grew up having this dessert and my mom has been the queen of making kinnathappam. Your kinnathappam looks really soft and delicate.

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  36. Hey.... a very good blog. :)
    Thanks for the kinnathapam recipe... had one piece from a shop for the first time yesterday and decided that I have to make it at home... lol

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  37. Hi,i made this but it took me so many hours to cook and the color wasn't white, it din;t rise also was flat.I followed your measurements and the batter was watery.how can i make one like yours

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  38. should we add whle egg or egg white only? do we need to add yeast?

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  39. Anonymous - It should not take hours to cook, if you have your dish on high flame with good steam. Also how much batter you have on your plate matters. Do not make it more that mentioned here. Whole Eggs should be used. Did you make the batter using a grinder or a mixie? As mentioned in the post that also changes the consistency. Also it does not raise much, but does have a very soft and slighty jiggly texture.

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  40. Hi fathima itha...
    I'm Nejiya....wow..Delicious KINNATHAPPAM....
    I CATCH U................

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  41. As a kid , used to eat and love kinnathappams. Last month to my visit to Kerala, got them ordered from a place and was awesome. Was looking for a perfect recipe, Seeing the picture in your blog, it looked great , so gave it a try today with half the measurement for one kinnam. Came out perfect with the jiggly texture, loved it............ Thanks so much for the recipe.

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  42. can we do it in oven??????

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  43. You may be able to do it with a water bath. I have not tried it that way though. It may take longer that way.

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  44. Hi Fathima,
    Can i substitute sugar with jaggery?

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  45. I have never tried with jaggery.. I would think it should work, as long as total quantity of water remains the same. It would taste completely different though, but should be good enough!

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  46. hi fathima , i was searching for authentic kinnathappam recipe and this one looks good... im going try it today itself.... thanks......

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  47. hi fathima,

    i ve been craving kinnathapam and i landed here. i dont have a grinder,can i use roasted rice powder instead?

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    Replies
    1. I have not tried making Kinnathappam with Rice flour. If you do not have a grinder I would suggest using a mixie and adding ice cold water instead of room temperature water. That would do the trick!

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  49. Fathima,

    My kinnathappams very rarely set. My question is about the ground rice batter. How much should it be strained? Most of the times I strain it till very watery, and then the appam never sets. Once I left some of the very fine rice paste in the batter, and it set well. But it was a bit harder on the bottom. Any advice on achieving the proper batter consistency?

    Fatima

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    Replies
    1. The reason it became harder is due to the finer rice particles. It has to be really watery. If you have the right amount of eggs and steam it for the time mentioned, it should be come soft and set. Trying cooking a little longer if it has not set.

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    2. Thank you, I will try it as you have described a couple more times.. But I need to perfect it before Eid! - Fatima

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    3. I will try a couple more times, keeping in mind what you said..But all has to be done before this Eid : ) - Fatima

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