Sojji Appam is a beloved snack from the Thanjavur region of Tamil Nadu. These little sweet pockets are made by wrapping a luscious semolina-sugar filling inside a wheat dough casing, then lightly frying until crispy and golden. Each bite offers a delightful mix of textures and flavours that will have you reaching for more.
About the Recipe
If you’ve never tried Sojji Appam before, you’re in for a real treat. These little fried snacks take a bit of hands-on effort, but the process is straightforward. And that first bite of the warm, crispy exterior giving way to the luscious sweet filling? Totally worth it. Give this classic Tamil recipe a try.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
What’s not to love about these crispy sweet pockets? The Semolina-sugar filling is perfectly spiced with cardamom and has an almost pudding-like texture that contrasts beautifully with the crisp wheat exterior. Each bite delivers a wonderful balance of flavors and textures. They’re indulgent but not too heavy.
Sojji Appam
Cooking Tips
For the flakiest puri exterior, take care not to over-work the wheat dough. Let it rest before rolling. And when frying, keep the heat moderate – too high and they’ll burn before cooking through. Lastly, be generous with the ghee or oil for that appetizing golden crispness.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Sojji Appam is best enjoyed fresh and warm from the pan, when the casing is at its crispiest. But they’ll keep for 2-3 days stored airtight at room temp. This recipe makes about 15-20 appams, perfect for sharing. Total prep time is around 1 hour.
Similar Recipes
- Badushas (Sweet lentil fritters)
- Adhirasam (Rice flour doughnuts)
- Rava Laddus
- Kozhukattai (Steamed rice dumplings)
Nutrient Benefits
While without a doubt an indulgent treat, Sojji Appam does provide some nutritional benefits. The wheat flour offers fiber and nutrients, while the semolina is a good source of energy-giving carbs. The ghee provides a dose of vitamin A. Overall, they make for a moderately nourishing snack.
Sojji Appam
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wheat Flour
- 1 cup Rava
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Water
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
- Rice Flour for dusting
Instructions
- Dry roast the rava till golden and remove.
- Bring the water to a boil and add the fried rava.
- Stir well till thick.
- Add sugar and mix well to a kesari consistency.
- Add cardamom powder and stir.
- Make small balls of the mixture and keep aside.
- Add little water to the wheat flour and mix well to a chapati dough consistency.
- Make small discs (puris) of the dough and add the prepared balls in the center.
- Fold and seal the edges.
- Dip them in rice flour and roll them out to a small-medium puris. make sure the filling does not spill out.
- Heat a tawa over medium flame.
- Add the puris to the tawa and apply ghee around the edges.
- Cook on both sides till golden yellow.
- Remove and serve.
This sweet is quite popular in Thanjavur and surrounding areas.
Instead of wheat flour, maida can also be used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Unfortunately no, Sojji Appam needs to be fried to achieve that perfect crispy exterior contrasted with the soft filling. Baking would dry them out too much.
My filling is too dry and crumbly, what did I do wrong?
The filling should have a thick, smooth pudding-like texture. If it’s dry, you likely didn’t cook the semolina mixture long enough with the water to properly hydrate and thicken it. Just add a splash more water and cook a bit longer.
Can I make these vegan?
Surely. just substitute the ghee for a vegan oil or vegan butter substitute when frying. The filling is already vegan-friendly.
How do I keep the filling from leaking out?
Be sure to seal the dough tightly around the filling balls before rolling them out. Also, don’t roll them too thin which can cause the dough to tear. A thickness of around 1/4 inch works well.
Why is my appam dough so sticky and hard to work with?
If your dough seems overly sticky, you may have added a bit too much water. Work in a sprinkle of extra flour until it reaches a smooth, pliable consistency.
