Achappam

Every Christmas my mom makes these Achappam or Rosette cookies. I have a friend who would drop by unannounced, eat all our food, make fun of us, and leave us with our fridge empty and our hearts full. But those are always the best of friends, aren’t they? One year he came over and ate an entire large Danish cookie container full of them, not leaving even a single crumb behind. Must have been at least 30 in there. He said “next time you make these, make sure you save some for me!”

We saved some for you, buddy.

*Recipe* - 1 c all-purpose flour - 1 c rice flour - Pinch of salt - 1 egg - 6 T sugar (less or more per your taste) - about 2 c milk/coconut milk (or until you get a pancake batter consistency) - 1 T Black sesame seeds - 1 t cumin powder - 1 t vanilla (not traditional but we love the taste)

* In a large bowl combine your flour and sugar together. * Add your milk and mix until you get a smooth batter * Beat the egg and add along with your sesame seeds, cumin powder, and salt and combine well * Set the batter aside for 30 mins. * Heat oil in a pan and immerse your “achu” or mold in the oil to heat up as well. * When the oil has heated up, carefully remove the mold and dip into the batter, being careful to only cover 3/4 of the mold. * Take it out of the batter and immerse into the oil. When the batter is cooked, it will come off on its own. If not, you can lightly shake it to release. Be patient. This may take some practice. * When one side is golden in color, flip it over. * Remove from the oil and drain the excess oil on a paper towel. * Once they cool, try to store in a airtight container. But that might prove to be difficult because they’ll be eaten up before that!