Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Achappam (Rose Cookies)

Intricate rose-shaped deep-fried wafer cookies made from rice flour, coconut milk, and egg batter — the signature Christmas sweet of Kerala's Syrian Christian community, created using a cast-iron rose mould dipped in hot oil.

🧺 Ingredients

• Rice flour (fine): 200 g
• All-purpose flour (maida): 50 g
• Thick coconut milk: 300 ml
• Egg: 2 (beaten)
• Sugar: 80 g
• Sesame seeds (white): 2 tbsp (20 g)
• Cardamom: 4 pods (crushed fine)
• Salt: ¼ tsp
• Coconut oil or neutral oil: for deep frying (500 ml)
• Achappam mould (cast iron, rose-shaped): essential
• Keep the oil temperature steady at 170–175°C; too hot burns the edges before the centre cooks
• Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; achappam stays crispy

👩‍🍳 How to make Achappam

1. Combine rice flour, maida, sugar, cardamom, sesame seeds, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add beaten eggs and 200 ml coconut milk.
3. Whisk until smooth.
4. Gradually add remaining coconut milk until the batter is the consistency of thin cream — it must flow freely off a spoon.
5. Rest the batter for 15 minutes.
6. Stir again before frying.
7. Heat oil in a deep pan to 175°C over high heat.
8. Place the achappam mould in the hot oil for 2 minutes — the mould must be very hot to create the proper shape.
9. Remove hot mould from oil.
10. Dip it into batter — it should sizzle immediately and batter should coat the mould.
11. Immediately submerge the batter-coated mould back into the hot oil.
12. The achappam will separate from the mould within 30–40 seconds.
13. If it sticks, gently loosen with a skewer.
14. Fry over medium heat for 2 minutes until golden and crisp.
15. Drain on paper.
16. Repeat.

Track the macros of Achappam and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.