Rose Cookies are the traditional Christmas snack from the state of Kerala. The Malayalam name for this is Achappam. "Achu" means mould & appam means anything made out of a batter. These cookies are very similar to the Rosettes of Scandinavian origin made in Sweden. The Rosettes are also traditionally made during Christmastime. Just like the European deep fried pastry, the Kerala rose cookies or Achappams are also made from intricately designed moulds. The moulds are dipped in a rice batter & then deep fried in hot oil. TIPS: The mould should be moderately hot before dipping in the batter. If it is not hot enough, it will not stick to the batter & if it is too hot, it will not slide off easily. It is a little tricky, but with practice becomes easy. Another thing to bear in mind is to shake off the excess oil on the mould before you dip it in the batter. It is also a good idea to work on a little batter at a time. Pour about 1/4 of the batter into a smaller bowl and make the rose cookies. That way if the oil is too hot you can switch it off in between.
Yields about 50 cookies.