Vattayappam - a steamed Teatime Snack from Kerala

Vattayappam 

 One of the best places to buy vattayappam in Trivandrum is Square One Treats near St Mary's School, LIC Junction. Due to the high demand of this snack, it gets sold fast. Usually, when I visit Square One for an evening coffee, the shelves are mostly empoty of any snacks let alone this light evening bite. 

So, for those who are new to making vattayappam at home, you can try this recipe. Check it out and feel free to contact me for any doubts. 

Here's the my way of doing it - Preference is raw rice + cooked rice + coconut + a small amount of yeast, with cardamom added after fermentation. Kerala Tourism uses this basic combination, while other soft-vattayappam recipes use a small amount of cooked rice/rice paste specifically to help with softness.

 Soft Kerala Vattayappam — Light Elaichi Flavor

Ingredients

For the batter

• Raw rice / pachari — 2 cups
• Cooked rice — 1 cup
• Fresh grated coconut — 1 cup
• Sugar — ½ cup
• (use ⅓ cup if you prefer it only mildly sweet)
• Instant yeast — ½ tsp
• Salt — ¼ tsp
• Water — as needed

For the elaichi flavour

• Cardamom — 2–3 pods, seeds powdered finely
• Optional topping
• 1–2 tbsp raisins
• A few cashews

This ratio is close to the traditional Kerala Tourism version, which uses 2 cups soaked rice, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 cup coconut and ½ tsp yeast.

Why it's better to use only 2–3 cardamoms

Since you said "elaichi light flavour," don't use a large amount of cardamom powder.

For this quantity of batter, 2–3 pods should give you a gentle fragrance without making the vattayappam taste like cardamom cake.

And importantly, add the cardamom after fermentation. This lets you control the final flavour rather than having it dominate the whole fermentation.

Method

1. Soak the rice

Wash the 2 cups raw rice well.

Soak for 5–6 hours, or overnight.

Drain well.

It's recommended to keep for  5–6 hours of soaking for this style.

2. Grind

Grind together:

• soaked rice
• cooked rice
• grated coconut
• sugar
• Add water gradually.

You want a smooth, flowing batter, roughly like idli/dosa batter—not watery.

The cooked rice is important here. It contributes to the soft, slightly spongy texture.

3. Add yeast & ferment

Mix in:

½ tsp instant yeast

¼ tsp salt

Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm.

Allow approximately 6–8 hours for fermentation. Kerala Tourism gives 6–8 hours, while some soft versions work in 4–5 hours depending on warmth.

Don't judge it only by the clock.

Look for:

• batter visibly risen
• slightly bubbly/foamy surface
• pleasant fermented aroma
• lighter texture

If your kitchen is warm, it may be ready earlier.

4. Add the elaichi

Once fermentation is complete:

Add your finely powdered seeds from 2–3 cardamom pods.

Taste the batter.

Adjust:

• sugar
• salt
• cardamom

Then fold/stir gently. Don't beat the batter vigorously and knock out all the air.

5. Steam

Grease a round steel plate or shallow cake tin lightly with ghee.

Pour the batter to about ½–⅔ of the height—leave room for it to rise.

Bring the steamer water to a good boil first.

Place the plate inside and steam on medium heat for around 20–25 minutes. Kerala Tourism recommends 20–25 minutes; another traditional version uses 15–20 minutes, so the exact time depends on the depth of your vessel.

Don't keep opening the lid.

Test with a toothpick or skewer. It should come out clean.

The 4 things that will make the biggest difference

1. Don't make the batter watery.

This is probably the easiest way to end up with a flat, dense vattayappam.

2. Don't over-ferment.

You want a well-risen, airy batter—not one that has collapsed and developed a strong sour smell.

3. Add elaichi after fermentation.

This is particularly useful for your preference for a light elaichi flavour.

4. Don't over-steam.

Once it's cooked through, stop. Excessive steaming can make the texture firmer and drier.

My preferred schedule

If you're making it for breakfast:

Night before — 7 PM

Soak rice.

Next morning — 7 AM

Grind batter + add yeast.

7 AM–1 PM

Let it ferment.

1 PM

Add cardamom and adjust sweetness.

1:15 PM

Steam.

1:40 PM

Rest for 10 minutes.

1:50 PM

Cut and serve.

That gives the fermentation plenty of time without requiring you to continuously work on it.

One final suggestion: I would make the first batch without raisins or cashews. Get the basic vattayappam texture and elaichi balance right first. Once you're happy with that, you can decide whether you want the traditional raisin/cashew topping..