What is Kokis exactly?
Kokis is a traditional appetizer in Sri Lanka. It is basically a crispy fried dough. The main ingredients are rice flour and coconut milk. It’s almost a liquid batter that has different kinds. It can be a little bit sweet so a little sugar is added to the recipe. for More details about Kokis read this link Kokis can also be a salty crunchy so it’s needed to some salt be added and no sugar used. It has another kind which serves at India too and it’s spicy hot by adding some chili or black pepper or even a mixture of bell pepper and red pepper. But the basic kind which most Sri Lankan people prefer to eat in their parties and celebrations is the first one. It is either an appetizer or a sweet. Kokis is very light and crispy. Every body would like it.
Does kokis belong to Sri Lanka exclusively?
The answer is definitely No! It is traditionally make and serve in Sri Lanka but it is also make in other countries with different titles and names and sometimes with different cuisines too. The word Kokis is originated from a Dutch word koekjes which means cookies. Because it looks like a cookie or biscuit with different flavor. In India Christians make Kokis for Christmas and call it Achappam. They serve it in the celebration in the state of west India called Kerala. Iranian people have Kokis as a traditional sweet. They call it Nan Panjereh and make it for party or Nowrooz day or sometimes for middle hour of afternoon. They fry them and then decorate with sugar powder and jostle powder. It makes in Indonesia, Singapore , Malaysia, Swedes, Portuguese and some British or African countries. But it is one of Sri Lankan traditional sweets.
Is Kokis harmful for health?
Maybe it could be. But if you don’t have it very much it’s not very harmful for you. So it’s up to you completely.It is sweet and fries into a big amount of oil so it’s greasy and heavy. If you don’t take the extra oil well, it is harmful for your health. It can increase the risk of heartache and blood vessels problems. So be careful about having Kokis like all other fried foods. Keep in mind that all delicious things are harmful! It’s a joke but be careful to use sweet and oil.
What does Kokis look like?
It basically has flower shape and sometimes it looks like a window. Kokis is shaped by the use of a mold. It is an iron mold shape like flower or window or something else with a tall handle on it. To shape Kokis it is enough to put the mold into the pan full of hot oil to be warm. It is important how hot should the mold be. Then thrust mold in the liquid batter and it sticks to mold. Once again pot it into hot oil and Kokis would be fried. If the mold is too hot, the dough will be backed before frying and if it is not enough hot, the dough will not stick to the mold.
How the dough will be ready?
It is so simple to prepare Kokis dough. It has limited ingredients as rice or wheat flour, coconut milk, eggs (don’t use a lot of eggs to have much more crispy Kokis), sugar, a pinch of salt and turmeric powder (optional). Mix them well to have a smooth liquid. Then fry Kokis by the use of hot mold one by one. They should be deep fry and you need to be really patient. Use a wooden spoon to disconnect Kokis from mold. Flip it to fry the other side well. It’s an easy task just you need to be careful and don’t burn them. To be more healthier and much crispy, use a kitchen towel to put them on it and absorb the extra oil. Let them cool and then put in the plate and serve.
Who and when does Kokis make?
Everyone can make Kokis easily at home. It doesn’t need very complicated and special materials and cooking tools. In Sri Lanka women cook them at home for very special occasions based on their culture and religious. Sri Lanka has many annual festivals. Some of them are seasonal. The prepare lots of those crunchy plates, put them on the tables and celebrate their special days with them beside. It’s optional which snack or food do they serve but majority of them prefer to have their traditional cuisine. Every body like it. Children, adults and even elderly people enjoy Kokis. You can learn about Belyashi Recipe at Epersianfood.com