Kerala Traditional Vazhanayila Appam or Kumbilappam

This is a traditional Kerala breakfast/ healthy snack. You only need regular ingredients like wheat flour, coconut and jaggery. The only special ingredient you need is fresh bay leaves (Vazhana leaves), which is abundant in Kerala. The health benefits of bay leaves are a bonus to the special taste it imparts to the dish. It used to be my mom's special, so I am very happy to share this with you all. Here's to mothers! 

Ingredients

1 cup = 250 ml

Wheat flour, 1 cup
Organic ragi flour*, 1 cup
Freshly grated coconut, 1 cup
Water, ¼ cup
Crushed jaggery**, 1 cup
Salt, ½ tsp
[Optional] Cardamom powder, ¼ tsp
Small Kerala bananas, 2 nos.
Vazhanayila or bay leaves, as required

*If you don’t have ragi flour, use wheat flour instead (total 2 cups).

**Here I used marayoor jaggery

Preparation

• Melt jaggery by boiling with ¼ cup water.
• Remove the impurities by filtering, and set aside for cooling.
• Clean the bay leaves and set aside.
• Heat water in a steamer or idly pot.
• Mash the bananas well using a fork or with your hands.
• In a big bowl add flour, mashed banana, coconut, salt, cardamom powder, and mix well with clean hands.
• Add jaggery water little by little and mix well to make a soft dough. It should be soft, unlike chappati dough but not watery.
• Take a small amount of dough and place on one half of the leaf and flatten slightly. Fold the other half over. Repeat the process. 
• Alternatively, you can shape the leaf into a cone and pin it with a coconut leaf stick or toothpick. Fill the cone with dough.
• Steam cook 20 minutes or until done.
• Once it cools, transfer to a bowl.
• You will get 15 - 16 vazhanayila appams.

Ready to serve with tea as a breakfast or evening snack. Enjoy!

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