Instant Vegetable Rava Appe | Sooji Paniyaram

14 years ago, I found my appe pan at Walmart of all places. I was just wandering through the aisles like I always do, not looking for anything specific, when I spotted this weird pan with little round holes all over it. The label said aebleskiver pan, some kind of Dutch pancake thing. I had no idea what it was, but something about those perfectly round cavities made me think, I could make paniyaram in this.

I brought it home all excited and showed it to my husband. He looked at it, laughed, and said what on earth is this pan with holes, waste of money. Fast forward to today, and that same waste of money pan is one of the most used pans in my kitchen. I've made everything in it: sabudana vada, batata vada, pakodas, mini idlis, even dessert balls. But this veggie Sooji Paniyaram recipe is the one I've made the most, hands down.

When my kids were little, these instant rava appe went into their school lunchboxes at least twice a week. Soft, filling, not messy, and easy to eat with their hands. No complaints, no leftovers coming back home. Now I make them for quick weekend breakfasts, evening snacks with chai, and even for parties where I serve them like appe shots. A little chutney at the bottom of a mini glass, one appe on top, toothpick through it. Always a hit. The best part? This recipe is incredibly flexible. Add whatever veggies you have, change up the spices, make it Indian style or go wild with Italian seasoning.

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

• Rava (Sooji/Semolina): forms the base of the batter and gives the paniyaram structure. The semolina absorbs the yogurt and water to create a thick batter that holds its shape in the pan while developing that signature slightly grainy texture inside.
• Yogurt (Dahi): provides the slight tanginess and helps bind the batter together. The yogurt also reacts with the baking soda to create those little air pockets that make the paniyaram fluffy.
• Baking Soda (or Eno Fruit Salt): is the secret to soft, airy paniyaram. Added just before cooking, it creates bubbles in the batter that puff up when they hit the hot pan, giving you that light interior texture.
• Mixed Vegetables (Onion, Capsicum, Carrot, Corn): add flavor, color, and a bit of crunch. The vegetables release moisture as they cook, keeping the inside tender while the outside crisps up.
• Mustard Seeds and Sesame Seeds: toast directly in the hot oil at the bottom of each cavity, creating a nutty, aromatic base that seasons each paniyaram from the inside out. That crackling sound when they hit the oil is what tells you the pan is hot enough.
• Green Chilies and Curry Leaves: bring that authentic South Indian flavor. The curry leaves especially become fragrant when cooked in the batter, and the chilies add just enough heat without overwhelming.
• Fresh Coriander (Cilantro): adds a fresh, bright note that balances the richness. Don't skip this. It really makes a difference.

Instructions

Make the Batter

• Prepare the Batter Base
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the rava and yogurt. Mix them together really well. You want to make sure there are no lumps at this stage. Add about half a cup of water and stir until you have a thick, smooth batter. The consistency should be like pancake batter, maybe slightly thicker. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. This resting time is crucial because the semolina needs to absorb the liquid and soften.
• Adjust the Consistency
  • After the batter has rested, you'll notice it has thickened up quite a bit. The rava absorbs a lot of moisture. Now's the time to add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water, little by little, until you get a pourable but still thick consistency. Think idli batter texture. If you can pour it from a spoon in a steady stream but it's not watery, you've got it right. This step makes or breaks your paniyaram, so take your time here.
• Add Vegetables and Seasoning
  • Fold in the diced onion, capsicum, grated carrot, corn kernels, chopped green chilies, curry leaves, fresh coriander, and salt. Mix everything together gently but thoroughly. You want the vegetables distributed evenly throughout the batter. Now here's the important part: add the baking soda or Eno fruit salt and give it just ONE gentle stir. Don't overmix at this point or you'll lose all those bubbles that make the paniyaram fluffy. The batter will start to look a bit airy and light.

Cook in Appe Pan

• Heat the Appe Pan
  • Place your appe pan (paniyaram pan) over high heat. Once it's hot, and you can test this by sprinkling a drop of water that should sizzle immediately, reduce the flame to medium. This is important: too high and the outside will burn before the inside cooks, too low and they'll be dense instead of fluffy. Brush or spray a little oil into each cavity. Not too much, just enough to coat the bottom and sides. Now sprinkle a few mustard seeds and sesame seeds into each cavity. They should start crackling right away. That crackling tells you the temperature is perfect.
• Cook the Paniyaram
  • Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, pour the batter into each cavity, filling them about three quarters full. Don't fill them completely. The batter will puff up as it cooks and you don't want them spilling over. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without touching them. You'll see the edges start to set and the bottom will turn golden brown. Now comes the fun part: using a wooden skewer, chopstick, or even a butter knife, gently flip each paniyaram. They should release easily from the pan if the temperature is right. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. The lid traps the heat and helps cook the center through while keeping the outside crispy.
• Serve Hot
  • Remove the paniyaram once they're golden brown all over and cooked through. You can tell they're done when they feel firm to the touch and have that beautiful golden color. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding a little oil and seeds to each cavity for each new batch. Serve them hot with peanut chutney, coconut chutney, or sambar.

Best Tips for Sooji Paniyaram

• Let the batter rest for the full 15 minutes before adjusting consistency. The rava needs time to absorb the liquid.
• Keep the flame at medium once you start cooking, not high, or the outside will burn before the inside cooks through.
• Use a nonstick appe pan for easiest flipping or make sure your cast iron pan is well seasoned.
• Don't overfill the cavities. Three quarters full is perfect, they puff up as they cook.
• The crackling of mustard and sesame seeds tells you the oil is hot enough to start pouring the batter.

Common Mistakes

Storage

How to Serve

Serve sooji paniyaram hot right off the pan with coconut chutney or peanut chutney on the side. They're also amazing with sambar for a complete South Indian breakfast. I like to arrange them on a platter with small bowls of different chutneys so everyone can pick their favorite. For parties, I serve them like appe shots. A little chutney at the bottom of a mini glass, one appe on top, toothpick through it. Always a hit. They're perfect for breakfast, evening snacks with chai, or even as a lunchbox item for kids.

Related

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Final Thoughts

That Walmart appe pan turned out to be one of the best purchases I ever made. These instant sooji paniyaram have become a weekend staple in our house, and I hope they become one in yours too.

Instant Vegetable Rava Appe

Author: Soniya Saluja

Crispy Sooji Paniyaram made easy! This instant rava appe takes 30 minutes from start to finish. Perfect South Indian breakfast.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: rava appe, sooji appe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

Servings:

4 people

Calories:

907kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup rava/sooji/semolina
• ½ cup yogurt dahi
• ½ cup water to start, adjust as needed
• ½ cup onion finely diced
• ½ cup capsicum bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ cup carrot grated or finely diced
• ¼ cup sweet corn
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• Few curry leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander cilantro
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda or ½ teaspoon fruit salt/Eno
• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

• Prepare batter base: Mix sooji and yogurt with ½ cup water until smooth and lump free. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
• Adjust consistency: Add 2 to 4 tablespoons water to achieve thick but pourable idli batter consistency.
• Add vegetables and seasoning: Fold in onion, capsicum, carrot, corn, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander, and salt. Add baking soda and mix gently once.
• Heat appe pan: Heat on high, reduce to medium. Oil each cavity and sprinkle mustard and sesame seeds.
• Cook: Fill cavities ¾ full. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, flip, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes more until golden.
• Serve: Remove when golden. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 907kcal | Carbohydrates: 160g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 1113mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 13270IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 9mg