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    You are here: Home / Diwali Special / Seeyam | Suzhiyan

    Seeyam | Suzhiyan

    Last Updated On: Oct 7, 2024 by Sharmilee J

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    Seeyam is a traditional sweet from Chettinad made for special occasions including Diwali. Called by different names Seeyam, Suzhiyan, Susiyam, Suzhiyam etc in different regions of South India. Learn to make Seeyam the perfect way with step by step pictures and video.

    seeyam served in banana leaf

    Seeyam is one of diwali special recipes that we make every year. Seeyam is called by different names in different regions, even the making differs. I have shared the authentic Chettinad version of seeyam recipe here. It tastes so delicious that you need to try it and enjoy.

    Jump to:
    • About Seeyam
    • Seeyam Video
    • Seeyam Ingredients
    • How to make Seeyam Step by Step
    • Expert Tips
    • Serving & Storage
    • FAQS
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    About Seeyam

    Seeyam is a unique sweet snack made using jaggery, chana dal as inner stuffing coated with rice, urad dal batter on the outside. Seeyam is a crunchy sweet snack very popular in Chettinad cuisine. Though it takes time and effort to make traditional seeyam, it is worth it I would say as it tastes so delicious.

    Seeyam is made by first soaking raw rice with dal together, grinding it to make a slightly thick batter. We make the inner stuffing by cooking chana dal with jaggery, make small balls out of it, dipping it in the rice batter and deep frying in oil.

    I so so love seeyam / suzhiyan, amma makes it very rarely. I never knew seeyam is also one of diwali special recipes till I celebrated my first diwali at my in-laws place. That is when I was aware that Seeyam is Diwali special sweet.

    seeyam served in banana leaf

    Seeyam Video

    Every year there is a tradition to keep a kadai with oil for frying on Diwali morning and my mother in law said they always make seeyam for this purpose. I can eat seeyam even for breakfast yes I love it so much!

    Welcoming the festivals even before the real festival comes – the gift of food blogging I should say! I have tried so many recipes for posting it here which I have not even planned to attempt .I love both poli and seeyam, the chana dal filling itself is so tasty that transforming it into any form makes it even more tastier.

    Similar Recipes

    • Masala Seeyam
    • Mysore Bonda
    • Puran Poli

    Seeyam Ingredients

    • Raw Rice – Raw rice is traditionally used to make seeyam so I suggest to use the same too. It adds crisp texture to the seeyam.
    • Urad Dal – Whole white urad dal is added to give fluffiness to the batter.
    • Chana dal – Chana dal or Bengal gram forms the base of the inner sweet stuffing.
    • Coconut – Grated coconut is added to the sweet stuffing for taste and flavor.
    • Jaggery – Jaggery is used for sweetening.
    • Oil – Any cooking oil can be used to deep fry masala seeyam. Groundnut oil or Refined oil can also be used.
    • Salt – Salt is added for taste to the batter.
    • Ghee – Ghee adds a richness and flavor to the stuffing, also helps in less sticking.
    ingredients needed to make seeyam

    How to make Seeyam Step by Step

    1.Soak 1/2 cup urad dal and 1/2 cup raw rice together for 2 hours.

    soak urad dal, raw rice

    2.Rinse it well, transfer to mixer jar, add water little by little and grind.

    transfer to mixer

    3.Grind to a thick smooth batter. Do not add more water, the batter should be thick.

    grind to a fine thick batter

    4.Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. The batter should be thick at the same time in flowing consistency. Add salt and 2 teaspoon water to the batter to adjust the consistency. Set aside.

    add salt, little water

    5.The batter should be thick at the same time in flowing consistency. Set aside.

    make a thick batter

    6.Now take 1/2 cup jaggery in a pan along with water. Let it dissolve. Heat it up until jaggery melts completely no need to check for any consistency. Once jaggery melts switch off and set aside to cool.

    melt jaggery

    7.Pressure cook 1/2 cup chana dal along with water for 6 whistles in medium flame.

    cook chana dal

    8.Dal should be easily mashable. Set aside.

    cook until soft

    9.Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan, add 1/3 cup coconut saute for 2 mins.

    saute coconut in ghee

    10.Then add cooked dal to it., give a quick saute.

    add chana dal

    11.Then mash it using a masher.

    mash well

    12.Cook until it comes together.

    cook till thick

    13.Strain and add jaggery syrup. Mix well.

    add jaggery syrup

    14.It will be goey at this stage once jaggery syrup is added.

    turns runny

    15.Cook until it becomes thick like shown below. Add ghee at the final stage if its sticks too much.

    cook until thick

    16.Add a pinch of cardamom powder mix well and switch off.

    add cardamom powder

    17.When the mixture is warm make small balls and keep it ready.

    shape into small balls

    18.Heat oil in a kadai – take one ball at a time.

    dip into batter

    19.Dip the ball in the batter coat well.

    coat well

    20.Wipe excess on the sides as shown below.

    wipe excess

    21.Heat oil – Gently drop it oil. Do in batches. You can fry 2-3 at at time depends on the size of the kadai.

    add to hot oil

    22.Fry until golden.Flip over and fry.

    fry until golden brown

    23.Drain and set aside. Repeat to finish the batter.

    drain and remove

    Crisp outside with a sweet stuffing inside this tastes delicious.

    Expert Tips

    • If you don’t have time to soak and grind then you can use idli batter for the outer wrap, its purely your preference.
    • If the batter is runny then the seeyam will drink more oil so keep an eye when you grind the batter.
    • If you are making in bulk, then use grinder. Batter made with grinder is best but when we make a small batch mixer is ok too.
    • If you left over batter you can use it for making masala seeyam.
    • You can mix maida along with salt and water to form a slightly thick batter. Dip the chana dal balls and make the coating.
    • Instead of grinding rice, you can use rice flour(idiyappam flour) too. Add little water and salt to make a thick batter and use it for outer covering.

    Serving & Storage

    Seeyam is best when served hot. You can serve it for breakfast or as a snack. I would not suggest storing the fried seeyam as it may turn soft. Alternatively you can make the batter and stuffing ready, store it and then fry whenever you want to serve it. The batter, stuffing keeps well in fridge for about 2-3 days.

    FAQS

    1.What is the difference between Suzhiyan and Seeyam?

    Suzhiyan is just the other name for Seeyam. But the main difference between suzhiyan and seeyam is for suzhiyan they use maida flour batter but for seeyam we can either use idli dosa batter or make fresh batter which is Chettinad special recipe. I personally prefer seeyam with rice batter covering as its crunchy though suzhiyan is easy to make as its instant.

    2.Can I make the stuffing with just coconut?

    Yes you can make the sweet stuffing with just coconut alone too but traditionally chana dal along with coconut is used for making sweet stuffing.

    seeyam inside

    If you have any more questions about this Seeyam Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook,  Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .

    Tried this Seeyam Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.

    📖 Recipe Card

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Seeyam Recipe | Suzhiyan Recipe

    Seeyam is a traditional sweet from Chettinad made for special occasions including Diwali. Called by different names Seeyam, Suzhiyan, Susiyam Suzhiyam etc in different regions of South India. Learn to make Seeyam the perfect way with step by step pictures and video.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Resting Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time3 hours hrs
    Servings12 Seeyam
    AuthorSharmilee J

    Ingredients

    For the inner stuffing:

    • 1/2 cup chana dal
    • 1 tablespoon ghee
    • 3/4 cup water for cooking dal
    • 1/2 cup jaggery
    • 1/4 cup water for syrup
    • 1/3 cup coconut
    • a pinch cardamom powder

    For the outer wrap:

    • 1/2 cup raw rice
    • 1/2 cup urad dal
    • water as needed
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Soak 1/2 cup urad dal and 1/2 cup raw rice together for 2 hours.
    • Rinse it well, transfer to mixer jar, add water little by little and grind.
    • Grind to a thick smooth batter. Do not add more water, the batter should be thick.
    • Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. The batter should be thick at the same time in flowing consistency. Add salt and 2 teaspoon water to the batter to adjust the consistency. Set aside.
    • The batter should be thick at the same time in flowing consistency. Set aside.
    • Now take 1/2 cup jaggery in a pan along with water. Let it dissolve. Heat it up until jaggery melts completely no need to check for any consistency. Once jaggery melts switch off and set aside to cool.
    • Pressure cook 1/2 cup chana dal along with water for 6 whistles in medium flame.
    • Dal should be easily mashable. Set aside.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan, add 1/3 cup coconut saute for 2 mins.
    • Then add cooked dal to it., give a quick saute.
    • Then mash it using a masher.
    • Cook until it comes together.
    • Strain and add jaggery syrup. Mix well.
    • It will be goey at this stage once jaggery syrup is added.
    • Cook until it becomes thick like shown below. Add ghee at the final stage if its sticks too much.
    • Add a pinch of cardamom powder mix well and switch off.
    • When the mixture is warm make small balls and keep it ready.
    • Heat oil in a kadai – take one ball at a time.
    • Dip the ball in the batter coat well.
    • Wipe excess on the sides as shown below.
    • Heat oil – Gently drop it oil. Do in batches. You can fry 2-3 at at time depends on the size of the kadai.
    • Fry until golden.Flip over and fry.
    • Drain and set aside. Repeat to finish the batter.
    • Crisp outside with a sweet stuffing inside this tastes delicious.

    Video

    Notes

    • If you don’t have time to soak and grind then you can use idli batter for the outer wrap, its purely your preference.
    • If the batter is runny then the seeyams will drink more oil so keep an eye when you grind the batter.
    • If you are making in bulk, then use grinder. Batter made with grinder is best but when we make a small batch mixer is ok too.
    • If you left over batter you can use it for making masala seeyam.
    • You can mix maida along with salt and water to form a slightly thick batter. Dip the chana dal balls and make the coating.
    • Instead of grinding rice, you can use rice flour(idiyappam flour) too. Add little water and salt to make a thick batter and use it for outer covering.
    Nutrition Facts
    Seeyam Recipe | Suzhiyan Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (50 g)
    Calories 122 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.05g
    Sodium 132mg6%
    Potassium 17mg0%
    Carbohydrates 24g8%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 0.4IU0%
    Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
    Calcium 24mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sharmispassions or tag #sharmispassions
    Like our video?Subscribe to our youtube channel to get latest updates!

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    Filed Under: Chettinad Sweets, Diwali, Diwali Special, Indian Sweets, Must Try, RandomPosts, Recently Updated, Sharmis Passions

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anu

      October 20, 2011 at 1:47 pm

      oh my god u guys really work hard for diwali, may be full of different variety of sweets in ur house. looks great sharmille

      Reply
    2. Nalini's Kitchen

      October 20, 2011 at 1:56 pm

      Sukiyan looks yummy and delicious.We use maida for outer layer.Please do drop at my space.
      Cheers
      Nalini

      Reply
    3. Happy Cook / Finla

      October 20, 2011 at 2:01 pm

      Looks so good, when mom made sukiyan it was made with a totally different beans, well in kerala they make with this beans i talked.
      I wish i was there in your place to eat all these goodies you are making on weekend 🙂

      Reply
    4. Vanamala Hebbar

      October 20, 2011 at 2:30 pm

      nice recipe…..

      Reply
    5. jeyashrisuresh

      October 20, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      i have never tried or tasted this yummy sweet. nice recipe with beautiful explanation

      Reply
    6. Kurryleaves

      October 20, 2011 at 2:45 pm

      perfectly done dear…absolutely love it

      Reply
    7. Janu

      October 20, 2011 at 3:05 pm

      Super. I too make the same way. Sometimes I eliminate channa dal and add excess of coconut and jaggery. I make the outer cover with rice flour and urad dal flour. It comes out too good. Do try this way when you are out of idli dosa batter 🙂

      Reply
    8. nanusree

      October 20, 2011 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Sharmilee (ur name reminds me of my nick name in my teens) 🙂

      A VERY VERY HAPPY DIWALI

      i really liked all the recipes in diwali section. my sweet recipe begins and ends with payasam and that too rice payasam ;). this time it will be different THANKS to your recipes and i definetly want to try a few of them.

      Reply
    9. Lavi

      October 20, 2011 at 3:29 pm

      Nice Pics Sharmi! Love your crispy version!

      Reply
    10. Reshmi Mahesh

      October 20, 2011 at 3:38 pm

      Very true…diwali is already being celebrated in blog world even though its on its way only…:)So many delicious recipes everywhere…
      Suzhiyam looks very delicious…lovely clicks..

      Reply
    11. sangee vijay

      October 20, 2011 at 4:07 pm

      diwali is in full swing…definitely many sweets n savories are made much before diwali for blog sake…i appreciate your effort and the suzhiyam looks so inviting!!!

      Reply
    12. Prathima Rao

      October 20, 2011 at 4:28 pm

      I had no idea too this is made for diwali…Looks good Sharmi…And looks like diwali preparations are in full bloom in your home!! Check your FB message..Just sent u a msg..
      Prathima Rao
      Prats Corner

      Reply
    13. Chitra

      October 20, 2011 at 4:28 pm

      Our fav, we too make it for diwali 🙂 nice clicks as usual.

      Reply
    14. Swathi

      October 20, 2011 at 4:31 pm

      Yes diwali recipes are all over the blog world. Suzhiyan we make with all purpose or maida batter, making with idly batter is good idea.

      Reply
    15. Nithya

      October 20, 2011 at 4:32 pm

      These look damn delicious. Mouth watering dish and love the clicks 🙂 Uruli Azhaga irukku 🙂

      Reply
    16. Sushma Mallya

      October 20, 2011 at 5:41 pm

      They look so Delicious and yummy….Wishing u and ur family a Happy Diwali:)

      Reply
    17. Priya

      October 20, 2011 at 6:04 pm

      Love it anytime,super delicious suzhiyan..

      Reply
    18. Laavanya

      October 20, 2011 at 7:16 pm

      My mom makes this so often.. but i've never tried it… Looks so tempting.

      Reply
    19. Yummy Team

      October 20, 2011 at 7:24 pm

      Its one of my fav snacks..Looks so yummy!!

      Reply
    20. Premalatha Aravindhan

      October 20, 2011 at 11:18 pm

      My fav sweet,waiting for diwali day to taste this…Ur version is very nice and tempting…

      Reply
    21. Kalyani's Platter

      October 21, 2011 at 3:41 am

      they look so tempting and delicious ………

      Reply
    22. Priya's Feast

      October 21, 2011 at 4:01 am

      My fav one…Nice suzhiyans..Luks so yummy..

      Reply
    23. Kitchen Flavours

      October 21, 2011 at 4:18 am

      I love these golden stuffed balls….looks yum…carving for some right now….

      Reply
    24. Kadhyaa

      October 21, 2011 at 4:31 am

      I never celebarate diwali in this sprit and its a one day affair with a simple kheer or any other sweet..ou guys really rock..

      Reply
    25. RAKS KITCHEN

      October 21, 2011 at 6:47 am

      Suzhiyam looks perfect,lovely presentation in uruli too 🙂

      Reply
    26. Ambreen

      October 21, 2011 at 11:08 am

      WOW, this looks wonderful, lovely filling!

      Reply
    27. hemalata

      October 21, 2011 at 11:50 am

      Delicious recipe,looks perfect and Happy Diwali dear.

      Reply
    28. Gayathri NG

      October 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm

      Really tempting recipe n lovely presentation.
      I also prepare suzhiyam in the same method but so long time ago thanks for reminding me…perfectly done. 🙂

      Reply
    29. Suja

      October 21, 2011 at 4:45 pm

      Tempting me a lot,delicious snack

      Reply
    30. Sobha Shyam

      October 21, 2011 at 7:36 pm

      Suzhiyam looks absolutely yum, nice to know that dosa batter can be used instead of maida, lovely recipe dear..

      Reply
    31. divya

      October 21, 2011 at 7:52 pm

      looks so yum n makes me hungry…love it !!!

      Reply
    32. priya ravi

      October 21, 2011 at 11:40 pm

      Perfectly done seeyams.. i too use dosa batter than maida.. usually make it n the morning of diwali 🙂 .. love ur clicks sharmi.. they are really amazing..

      Reply
    33. Suma Gandlur

      October 22, 2011 at 12:50 am

      Look so yummy. We make them with a different outer covering and a must in our home for every auspicious (and also inauspicious)functions.

      Reply
    34. SpicyTasty

      October 22, 2011 at 3:28 am

      My favorite. Looks yumm.

      Reply
    35. Cham

      October 22, 2011 at 4:40 am

      This sweet is deepavali special! The batter is very different!

      Reply
    36. Uma

      October 23, 2011 at 12:37 am

      Superb. They look so tempting.

      Cheers,
      Uma

      Reply
    37. Prathibha

      October 23, 2011 at 6:10 am

      one of my fav sweet…looks delicious

      Reply
    38. Sumi

      November 08, 2011 at 4:40 am

      Hi, I was just browsing through all the recipes that I missed from your blog. Everything is delicious and this one especially is gorgeous.Have just started blog hopping, hope to start blogging soon.Cheers.

      Reply
    39. Sangeeta Sudhakaran

      October 25, 2013 at 3:02 am

      Please tell me you are super fat! You cannot be such an awesome cook and make such delicacies and NOT be fat!! I'm just plain jealous now 🙂

      Reply
    40. SHARMILEE J

      October 25, 2013 at 11:04 am

      Haha cant stop laughing reading ur comment….I am sure not thin but on the border side for becoming fat…hope that doesnt happen 🙂

      Reply
    41. Vandana Santosh

      October 30, 2013 at 6:16 pm

      First attempt success.. Thanks Sharmilee…

      Reply
    42. Indu Prakash

      October 31, 2013 at 7:20 pm

      Yummy!! I just love your blog.. Happy Diwali!!

      Reply
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