Malabar Kinnathappam

Servings: 6 Total Time: 1 hr Difficulty: Advanced
Rice Halwa
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Some sweets make you pause – not because they’re fancy or dramatic, but because they carry a certain softness that’s both on your tongue and in your memory. Kinnathappam, for me, is one of those. A slice of it, still warm or fully set, just melts in the mouth like a quiet secret.

I grew up with kinnathappam as part of special occasions in Kannur – Eid mornings, weddings, or just when someone felt generous with time and ghee. It doesn’t sparkle like halwa or demand attention on a tray, but it always gets picked first. That soft, pillowy texture is unlike anything else – it’s not stretchy or rubbery like Kozhikode halwa, which is made from maida starch and often glistening with oil. Kinnathappam is more subtle, more grounded – it has body from the rice, depth from jaggery, and that unmistakable richness from coconut milk.

What surprises many is how forgiving this sweet is. There’s even a version made from leftover cooked rice – you just grind it to a smooth batter with enough water, mix it with jaggery and coconut milk, and cook it down gently. The result might not be as polished as the one made with fine roasted rice flour, but it has its own rustic charm – softer, maybe slightly denser, but just as comforting.

I always remember the slow stirring, the ghee being added spoon by spoon, and that moment when the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan – a quiet cue that it’s ready. And then the wait – letting it cool, firm up, and settle before cutting. That wait was always the hardest part.

Even now, when I bite into a piece, I think of the old steel mould we used – round, slightly dented, always greased with love. It’s amazing how a dish so simple in appearance can carry so much memory, texture, and tradition in each square.

Malabar Kinnathappam

Difficulty: Advanced Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr
Servings: 6
Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Malabar Kinnathappam have an origin in Nortern kerala especially Kannur district of Kerala. In kerala You can find many dishes named Kinnathappam. But this one is unique with its taste and making.
  2. First of all, We will soak One cup White Raw rice for two hours. strain water and make a smooth powder with Mixer gridenr and keep it aside.
  3. Soak quarter cup Chana dal .
  4. Its time to extract coconut milk. We need total 4 1/2 cup coconut milk. 1 1/2 cup Thick Coconut milk (Onnam Pal) and 3 cups of Thin coconut milk (Randam Pal) .
  5. Now we cal melt Jaggery. Here we tool 1 1/2 cup Jaggery and quarter cup water. Melt it , Strain it for impurities and keep it aside.
  6. As next step, we will dry roast rice flour. After few minutes, we will add Thin cococnut milk (Randam pal) with the rice flour and mix it well without lumps.
  7. We will slowly add jaggery syrup with the mix and combine well. Its recomond you stir the mix in either clock wise or anticlockwise only – from begining to end.
  8. We need the mixture without lumps. If you see any lumps, you have to break it and make the mixture smooth. Stir continuoulsly on medium heat.
  9. After some time, the mixture will become thick . You can add the Thick coconut milk at this point. Add it slowly .
  10. We can add soaked Chana dal now. It will cook with the mix. Stir continuously . Add 1/3 cup of Ghee spoon by spoon occasionally
  11. When the mixture become thick as previous, you can add cardamom powder and mix well.
  12. Greasxe your Plate/ Mould with Ghee
  13. When the Ghee strart to leave the mixture, Transfer the mixture to the Plate/ Mould immediately
  14. Keep it to cool off for atleast 4 hours.. After that, Remove it from the mould, Cut in to pieces,
  15. Malabar Kinnathappam is an inevitable part of every special occations in Kannur district . Now Enjoy it !!
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