Kokis (කොකිස්) is a crisp, lacy snack made by dipping a hot patterned mould into a batter of rice flour, egg and coconut milk and frying it in oil. Pale gold from a pinch of turmeric and only lightly salted, it is one of the kavili, the traditional sweets and snacks, that Sri Lankan families prepare for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April. Few festive tables are complete without a plate of them.
This page is about the dish itself: where the name probably comes from, the mould, and the part kokis plays at Avurudu. A short recipe card follows; for detailed step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting, see the full kokis recipe.
Where does the name kokis come from?
The usual explanation is that kokis dates from the Dutch period, when the Dutch East India Company controlled Sri Lanka's coastal regions, from the mid-17th century until 1796. The name is generally taken to come from the Dutch koekjes, meaning small cakes or biscuits, the same word that gave English the word cookie. No early written record fixes exactly when or how the snack arrived, so treat this as the accepted theory rather than documented fact. A Portuguese origin is sometimes suggested as well, but we have found no reliable source for it.
What is clear is that the technique is shared across the world. The Scandinavian rosette is made the same way, and close relatives include achappam in Kerala, achu murukku in Tamil Nadu, kokkisan among the Christians of Mangalore and kuih ros in Malaysia. In Sri Lanka the batter uses rice flour and coconut milk, which gives kokis its particular crunch.
What is a kokis mould?
The mould, called the kokis achchuwa in Sinhala, is a flat metal head on a long handle. Traditional ones are iron, and many homes now use non-stick versions, which release more easily for beginners. The head is usually a flower or rosette, though wheels and other patterns are also made. The mould is heated in the oil, dipped part-way into the batter and plunged back into the oil, where the kokis sets and is shaken free. A new iron mould is seasoned in hot oil before its first use.
What part does kokis play at the Sinhala and Tamil New Year?
Avurudu, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, falls in mid-April, and its rituals follow auspicious times published each year as the Avurudu nakath. In the days before it, households fry and cook the festive sweets in large batches, traditionally the work of the women of the family, and kokis keeps well enough to be made ahead. On the day it is set out on the New Year table with kavum, konda kavum, mung kavum, aluwa and kiribath, and plates of these sweets are shared with neighbours and visiting relatives.
Because it is barely sweet, kokis balances the treacle-rich sweets around it. It is not reserved for April, either, and is eaten year-round as a teatime snack.
How is kokis sold today?
Many families still make their own, but fewer have the time or the practised hand for it, so a large share is now bought. Bakeries, sweet shops and supermarkets sell kokis year-round, usually in packets, and supply rises sharply in the weeks before April.
Kokis recipe card
- Makes about 25 kokis
- Prep: 10 minutes (+ 10 minutes resting)
- Cook: 40 minutes
- Difficulty: Moderate
Ingredients
- 250 g fine white rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
- 1 egg
- 300 ml thick coconut milk, plus up to 100 ml extra to adjust the batter
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds (optional)
- About 1 litre coconut oil or vegetable oil, for deep frying
Method
- Make the batter. Whisk the egg, sugar, salt and turmeric into the coconut milk, then whisk in the rice flour until smooth and slightly thicker than double cream. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil and mould. Heat the oil to about 170°C over a medium heat and leave the mould in it for about 30 seconds.
- Dip. Dip the hot mould about three-quarters of the way into the batter for 2 to 3 seconds, never over the top.
- Fry. Return the mould to the oil for 30 to 60 seconds until the kokis sets, shake it free and fry 1 to 2 minutes more until crisp and pale golden.
- Drain and store. Drain on kitchen paper, reheating the mould before each piece, and store the cooled kokis airtight.
How long does kokis keep, and how is it eaten?
In an airtight tin at room temperature kokis stays crisp for about 3 to 5 days; the fridge softens it. It is eaten by hand, on its own or with a cup of plain tea, and a spicier version with red chilli in the batter, miris kokis, is also made.
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