Appe Maker Recipes: 12 Dishes Beyond Paniyaram (India)

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What Can You Cook in an Appe Maker?

Appe maker recipes go far beyond plain paniyaram. An appe maker is a pan with small round moulds. You can cook sweet unniyappam, egg appe, dhokla bites, suji appe, and even mini pancakes in it. The shape gives each bite a crisp shell with almost no oil.

Most of us buy this pan for one dish. Then it sits in the back of a shelf.

That is a waste. The same moulds turn out a dozen snacks.

This guide lists 12 real dishes beyond paniyaram. It also covers the oil savings and how to pick a good pan.

The pan goes by many names across South India. In Tamil Nadu it is the kuzhi paniyaram pan. In Karnataka people call it the paddu or guliyappa pan. Kerala homes use it for unniyappam, and in Andhra it is simply the appe pan.

12 Dishes Beyond Paniyaram You Can Make

An appe maker can cook far more than paniyaram. The round moulds suit any thick batter or soft dough. Below are 12 everyday dishes, both sweet and savoury. Each one uses just a few drops of oil per mould, so snacks stay light and crisp.

1. Unniyappam — pour jaggery, rice flour, and banana batter; cook till the edges go dark.
2. Egg appe — whisk eggs with onion and chilli; fill each mould and cook till set.
3. Suji (rava) appe — mix roasted suji with curd and veggies; rest, then cook golden.
4. Mini dhokla bites — pour soft besan-suji batter with eno; cook till spongy and firm.
5. Bread appe — soak crumbled bread in spiced curd batter; spoon in and crisp the base.
6. Oats and veg appe — blend oats, curd, and grated carrot; a high-fibre tea-time bite.
7. Paneer balls — coat spiced paneer cubes in semolina; roast till the shell turns golden.
8. Aloo bonda bites — dip mashed-potato balls in besan; cook with a few oil drops, no deep frying.
9. Falafel balls — press soaked chana paste into the moulds; cook till brown and crisp.
10. Mini pancakes — pour sweet batter; flip each ball halfway for a fluffy two-side cook.
11. Stuffed mushroom caps — fill small caps with herbed paneer; roast till tender and soft.
12. Sweet appe cake pops — fill with cake batter and a chocolate centre; cook till puffed.

One pan covers breakfast, tiffin, and an evening snack. That is its real value.

For more batter ideas, see our crispy ragi dosa recipe and the veggie-loaded uttapam waffle.

How Much Oil Does an Appe Maker Save?

An appe maker uses far less oil than deep frying. Each mould needs only a few drops, not a full pan of oil. This matters because deep-fried snacks soak up a lot of fat. Switching to an appe pan keeps the same taste with a fraction of the oil.

Think of vada or bonda. Deep frying drowns them in hot oil.

Oil absorption: deep-fried foods soak up about 10 to 25 grams of oil per 100 grams, while low-oil pan methods absorb far less and cut roughly 90 to 180 calories per 100 grams — Valle et al., Food Safety and Health (Wiley), 2024.

That saving adds up fast across a week of snacks. It also fits the national diet advice.

ICMR-NIN guideline: the 2024 Dietary Guidelines for Indians advise limiting cooking oil to about 25 to 30 grams per person each day — ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, 2024.

An appe maker makes that target easy to hit. You get the crunch without the oil bath. To learn more, read what ICMR's 2024 guidelines say about your cookware.

Which Appe / Paniyaram Maker Should You Buy?

To pick a good appe maker in India, match the mould count and base to your needs. A 7-mould pan suits one or two people. A 12-mould pan feeds a family. Choose a thick non-stick base, sturdy handles, and a fitting lid. The table below lists trusted brand options.

Prices shift often, so check the live listing before you buy. Compare a few here:

• Appe makers on Amazon
• Paniyaram pans on Amazon
• Electric appam makers on Amazon

If you cook on an induction top, read our guide to non-stick cookware for induction.

Is Food From an Appe Maker Healthy?

Food from an appe maker is healthier than deep-fried snacks. The low-oil cooking cuts fat, and many appe recipes use fermented rice-and-lentil batter. Fermentation makes the batter easier to digest and richer in nutrients. So a plate of appe is lighter than the same snack fried in oil.

The batter is the quiet hero here. Soaking and resting it overnight changes the food.

Fermentation benefit: fermenting the rice-and-dal batter breaks down close to 50% of its phytic acid and raises B-vitamins, which helps the body absorb more iron and zinc — Journal of Food Science and Technology, idli batter study.

So a fermented appe gives you more than just fewer calories. Pair it with a fresh chutney for protein.

For more on this, see our guide to fermented foods benefits over 30 days.

How Do You Use an Appe Maker Well?

To use an appe maker well, preheat it, brush each mould with oil, and cook on low to medium heat. Fill each mould about three-fourths full. Cover with a lid so the tops steam and set. Flip once the base turns golden for an even, crisp shell.

1. Preheat for 2 minutes — the moulds must be warm before batter goes in.
2. Brush each mould with oil — a few drops stop sticking and add crunch.
3. Fill three-fourths full — batter puffs up, so leave a little room.
4. Cover with a lid — trapped steam cooks the tops without flipping early.
5. Flip when golden — use a skewer or spoon to turn each ball once.
6. Cool, then wipe clean — never scrub a hot non-stick pan with metal.

Treat the coating gently and the pan lasts for years. A cast-iron pan needs seasoning instead. See our tips to compare a cast iron vs non-stick tawa.

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