Instant Sooji Appe / Paniyaram with Vegetables

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Appe or Paniyaram or Gunta punugulu are a quick and simple no-fry but crispy fritter made using a paniyaram pan. Appe are a popular South Indian breakfast dish that are traditionally made using leftover idli or dosa batter. This Instant Sooji or rava Appe are a short cut version that are done in a jiffy. I add lots of vegetables to this appe to make it super nutritious and kid-friendly.

Sooji appe in 2 plates served with ginger chutney in a bowl.

What are Appe or Gunta punugulu?

Appe are round ball like fritters made with urad dal and rice batter. They are called appe or paniyaram or Kuzhi paniyaram or Gunta pongadalu or paddu in several languages across south India and made in different variations throughout. Appe are made in a specially designed pan called Paniyaram pan which has round dents to pour the batter in. The paniyaram pan enables the appe to get crispy all around but stay super soft and fluffy in the center. The appe are customizable and can be made either sweet or savory and can be served with any chutney or sambhar.

How are Instant Sooji Appe different than regular Appe?

Instant Sooji Appe needs no preparation or fermentation of batter. Regular appe needs fermented idli or dosa batter, I always make appe from my leftover idli batter and they turn out perfect. But this sooji appe, on the other hand, can be made in 15 minutes and uses only 3 ingredients are base, Sooji or rava, curd or yogurt and salt. You can add as many and different vegetables you like to make it as nutritious as possible. This recipe was first shared in my Facebook group and it started trending like crazy, all the moms in the group got super creative and made amazing variations. This is my variation.

They are a perfect lunchbox option too, my kids love them as they stay crispy till lunch! This lunchbox has sooji appe with ginger chutney and Yellow dragon fruit cubes.

Lunchbox: Lunchbots Large Trio Stainless Steel lunchbox
Dip or chutney container: Lunchbots Leakproof Dip containers
Animal Forks: Fruit forks and picks

Sooji Appe in a lunchbox with red ginger chutney and dragon fruit cubes.

How to make Instant Sooji Appe?

Its so so easy! It will take 5 min to prep and 15 min for the batter to be ready. This is a perfect dinner option on those busy weeknights or when I am out of ideas and want a quick meal. Here’s how to make it:

Take 2 cups sooji or rava in a large mixing bowl and add 1 cup yogurt and salt. Add 2 cups of water and mix it thoroughly till there are no lumps and its all mixed through.
Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes, till the sooji soaks up all the water.

Sooji appe making process part 1 : Soak the rava, add salt.

While the batter is soaking, grate the carrots and chop the onions, kale, curry leaves, green chilies finely.
Add all the chopped vegetables to the batter. Add cumin seeds and a pinch of baking soda. Mix it all together very well.

Sooji appe making process 2: Add vegetables and make appe in appe pan.

Heat the paniyaram pan on medium heat and when its hot, add couple drops of oil in each well or cup and add batter to each cup.
Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the appe is golden brown and crispy on one side.
Flip them over and cook on the other side till its golden brown. Remove from pan and serve it hot with your favorite chutney.

A few quick things to know about Instant Sooji Appe:

Can we make appe without paniyaram pan?

Well, we make uthappam or thick dosa with the same batter but the paniyaram pan is definitely needed to make the appe or paniyaram. In case, you don’t have a paniyaram pan on hand, try making uthappam on this Lodge cast iron pan and it will turn out great, I promise!

Where to buy paniyaram pan?

Paniyaram pan is available in Indian stores or on Amazon. Click here to go to amazon: Paniyaram pan. This pan is so useful, you can not only make different variations of appe in this, but can also make any no-fry items like kofta for malai kofta. I even make hush puppies with cinnamon sugar in an appe pan and they turn out incredible. If you are not able to find a decent paniyaram pan, try this Aebleskiver or Takoyaki pan

What other vegetables can be added to these appe?

I added Lacinato kale, carrots and onions to this recipe. But, I add grated brussels sprouts, grated beets, bell peppers and spinach for different variations and they all taste great. Feel free to add more variety and let me know if you have more ideas.

How can I store the leftover batter and how long will it last?

The leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container. The cooked appe stay crispy and fresh for 4-6 hours, making them a perfect lunchbox option.

What is appe served with?

Appe can be served with any chutney or sambhar. We like it with ginger chutney. tomato pickle or cranberry pickle. My kids like it with peanut chutney.

Yield: 5 servings