EASY Kokis ((Sri Lankan Rosette Cookies)

Learn how to make Kokis (Sri Lankan-style rosette Cookies) with this easy-to-make authentic recipe with useful tips and a video. It may seem difficult, but trust me, they are easy to make and only require a few ingredients.

Well, making them is a bit tricky at first, so you may not get the first few Kokis right away. But with practice (& some tips & tricks) you will get better and find it quite fun. I hope you will give it a try!

something about Kokis

Being crispy and having such a unique shape, kokis are an all-time favorite traditional Sri Lankan food made especially during festivals such as Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, weddings, and ceremonies.

The basic batter is made of rice flour, salt, turmeric powder, and coconut milk. Adding eggs is optional so you can make them without eggs. So this recipe can be enjoyed by vegetarians and vegans too. It is a kind of savory snack so no need to add sugar. They can be eaten plain and are also commonly spiced with sesame, cumin, chilies, and curry leaves.

They are deep-fried in coconut oil with the use of a mold. The mold is heated in hot oil before it is dipped into the batter. Then it is re-immersed in the hot oil to create a crisp shell around the mold. The mold is lifted from the oil after the kokis separates from the mold.

The first thing is to buy a kokis mold

Kokis is made using patterned irons or molds to give a characteristic shape. It is called Kokis Acchuwa in Sinhala. So, you need a mold to make them. Kokis mold has a long handle and a metal shape (stars, flowers, and butterflies).

You can purchase them online. The one I am using in the video is a butterfly-shaped mold, but there are various types of decorative molds out in the market. The hardest part of making kokis is taking it out of the mold, so if you are a beginner, be sure to buy a simple mold. If you cannot find Kokis mold, you can make them with the Rosette irons that you can easily buy online.

Cast iron kokis mold vs non-stick kokis mold

There are two types of mold, non-stick molds, and cast iron molds. Traditionally they are made with cast iron molds but with a brand new cast-iron mold, it is a bit difficult to get the kokis out of the mold, so be sure to season it before starting to make kokis. I am using an iron mold with a brass finish from Sri Lanka and it makes very crispy kokis every time without giving me much troubles.

A non-stick mold helps to remove kokis from the mold easily and far easier to use than cast-iron molds. They also need to be seasoned but not like the cast iron ones. For non-stick molds just heat it in the hot oil for about 1-2 minutes before making kokis.

How to season the cast-iron kokis mold

The reason you need to season your brand new cast-iron mold is to make the fried kokis remove easily from the mold. Don’t worry, seasoning is a very simple thing, just heat a pot of oil on medium heat and then remove it from the heat. Now, submerge the mold in the hot oil and leave it overnight. Once this seasoning is done you can start making kokis.

Where does kokis come from?

Kokis is similar to European Rosette cookies served during Christmas. So, Kokis as the Sri Lankans know it, is likely a descendant of Rosette cookies brought back by Europeans. It’s said that the name “kokis” has come from the Dutch word koekjes which means “cookies”.

I didn’t know they were of Scandinavian origin until recently I found Rosette Cookies on the internet. Then I did some research on the internet. A rosette cookie is also a thin crispy cookie, deep-fried in oil/fat with the use of a rosette cookie iron.

They originate from the Scandinavian countries. But these thin lacy cookies have traveled the world so much that almost every culture around the world has its own version of the Rosette cookies.

Call it whatever you prefer

You can find them all over the world with different names. They are also called honeycomb cookies, flower cookies, or beehive cookies in English. They are also known as achchu murukku in Tamil, kembang goyang or kembang loyang in Indonesia, kuih loyang or kuih rose in Malaysia and Singapore.

Rosettbakkelse in Norway, Struva in Sweden, Rozetki in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, Kulcha-e-panjerei in Afghanistan, Rozetták in Hungary, Rozety in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Fulkuchi pitha in Bangladesh, Achappam in Kerala, India, Achumurukku in Tamil Nadu, India, Rose cookies in Mumbai, India, Rosetbakkelse in Denmark, Rozete in Croatia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, Rozetės in Lithuania, Gulabi in South India, Rosetti in Finland, Demir tatlisi in Turkish, Flores manchegas in Spain, Shirini panjerei in Iran, Chebbak el-janna in Tunisia (Thanks goes to Wikipedia)
What name do you know them by? Let me know in a comment below!

Kokis vs Rosettes

Rosettes are made out of the same batter you would use to make pancakes (wheat flour, egg, milk, sugar, and salt). Once fried, they get a dusting of powdered sugar. Kokis, on the other hand, uses locally produced ingredients such as rice flour, and coconut milk instead but eggs and sugar are not traditionally used. Turmeric powder is used as a natural coloring. Coconut oil is commonly used for frying. So when compared to sweet Rosettes, Kokis is a kind of savory snack.

Ingredients

• Rice Flour: Rice flour makes crispy kokis. You can use store-bought rice flour or homemade rice flour. Be sure to use long-grain white rice flour not sticky or glutinous rice flour.
• Wheat Flour: Sometimes, a few tablespoons of plain flour is added. But I don’t think it’s necessary because rice flour alone gives kokis a super crispy texture.
• Egg: Adding eggs is optional so you can make the batter without eggs. So this recipe can be enjoyed by vegetarians and vegans too.
• Sugar: Kokis are a kind of savory snack, so traditionally kokis is made without adding sugar, but if you like a sweeter version, just add sugar as you like. 
• Coconut Milk: When making kokis batter, coconut milk is used instead of dairy milk. Adding coconut milk makes the kokis so aromatic and flavorful. You can use either fresh coconut milk or canned unsweetened coconut milk.
• Turmeric Powder: Turmeric is a natural food coloring that is commonly used in Sri Lanka.
• Salt: A small pinch of salt sure brings out the flavor.
• Oil: Kokis are deep-fried in coconut oil. If possible, use coconut oil for the best flavor and crispiness. But you can also use any neutral-tasting oil like rice oil that won’t affect the taste.

tips and tricks to Make the Best kokis

• Consistency of the kokis batter is very important, it should not be too runny or too thick. If it is too thin, the batter will not stick to the mold. If the batter is liquid, you can add more rice flour to get the correct consistency. Be sure to make a thick batter that would coat the kokis mold.
• Be sure to stir the batter before dipping the kokis mold in, as the flour can be stuck in the bottom.
• You need to constantly regulate the heat as well as the temperature of the oil.
• Be sure to dip the kokis mold in the hot oil before dipping it into the kokis batter.
• After dipping it into the hot oil, tap the mold on a kitchen towel before dipping it in the batter to remove the excess oil, OR you can also shake the mold for a while to remove the excess oil. If you dip a very hot mold into the batter, it will instantly cook the batter.
• Carefully dip the mold into the batter, taking care not to dip it entirely, if you deep it entirely, you cannot remove the kokis from the mold.
• After about 10 seconds, gently shake the mold to release the kokis. If the batter sticks to the mold you may need to be eased it from the mold with a chopstick.
• Don’t try to fry them until they are crispy or dark brown or you will get burnt kokis. Let it fry until light golden brown only. They won’t get crispy until you lift them out from the oil and come into contact with the air to crisp them up.

Kokis variations you can try

1. Dust castor sugar over the kokis to give them a sweeter flavor.
2. Drizzle a bit of treacle over the kokis at the time of serving. 
3. Dip it in chocolate sauce to make sweet kokis, kids would love it.
4. Dust chili powder or garlic powder over the kokis to make spicy snacks
5. Add a few teaspoons of chili powder, cumin, sesame, or finely chopped curry leaves (or your favorite herb) into the batter to make a spicier version.

Watch the video

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