Health Benefits of Eating Appalu: Doctors’ Advice

Appalu are a popular traditional dish often prepared at home during small festivals and special occasions, especially in rural areas. This village-style delicacy is made with rice flour, jaggery, sesame seeds, ghee, fresh coconut and cardamom powder. To prepare it, jaggery is added to water and heated on a low flame until it dissolves well. The mixture is then allowed to cool slightly before rice flour is gradually added and mixed thoroughly. The flour should be blended smoothly without forming lumps to ensure that the appalu puff up properly while cooking.

Once the dough is ready, a little oil can be applied to the hands and a sheet or cover to prevent sticking. Small portions of the dough are shaped into balls and flattened into appalu. They are then fried in sufficiently heated oil over a medium flame until they puff up and turn golden. The finished appalu can be removed and allowed to cool before serving. Ingredients such as jaggery and sesame seeds add flavour and nutritional value, while portion size should be considered as part of a balanced diet.