Kumbilappam

Kumbilappam – A steamed sweet dish in Kerala cuisine !!

Makes: 5 kumbilappams

Ingredients

½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz whole wheat (atta) / Aashirwad atta or rice flour

3 well ripe bananas, mash well

3 tablespoon grated coconut

3 tablespoon thick melted and sieve jaggery (please do not use jaggery syrup) It should be thick in consistency

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

1 banana leaf (cut 5 banana pieces (each of 12 cm in length – square shape)

5 toothpicks

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients (whole wheat (atta), jaggery, grated coconut, mashed banana and cardamom powder) together until it forms a smooth and thick mixture without any lumps. Do not add water when mixing.

Clean banana leaf. Smoke this leaf on a low  flame for a few seconds so that it becomes flexible and easy to fold.

Cut banana leaves into 12 cm square pieces. Make it into cone shape.

Keep  1 heaped  tablespoon of wheat flour mixture in the centre of the banana  cone (kumbil shape).  Press it gently (make thin kumbilappam. Then it will cook evenly). Fold and  make triangle shape and seal the edges with toothpick. Repeat the process  for remaining kumbilappam.

Arrange the kumbilappams  in a steel bowl  or  idli thattu and steam in a pressure cooker ( without weight ) or in a steamer  / rice cooker for 18 - 20 minutes on a medium heat / until done and well cooked.  Allow this to cool for 10 minutes.  Remove the banana leaf covering and consume  kumbilappam warm or cool. It’s a tasty evening snack. Banana leaf gives an additional flavour.