Idiyappam (the malayalam name of string hoppers) when paired with sweet coconut milk is one of those breakfast dish I will always crave for. This string like rice noodles woven into a pancake can go with anything spicy to sweet on the side. It can be the chickpea curry, vegetable kurma, sprout salad, Beef Curry or simply sugar and coconut combo. But my favorite is always the sweet coconut milk which is the one of the easiest pairing for idiyappam.
The most important thing to take care while making string hopper is ‘use your hands, not a spoon‘ to mix the dough. No exact measurements for the ingredients can be given. This is because the measurements depend on the quality of the rice flour we are using. If we use less water, the dough will not hold together. The strings may break. If we add more water it will not be made into long strings and will be sticky. So always knead the dough with hands for a perfect dough.
To make idiyappam, you will definitely need a press. It is available in all Indian stores and online stores. It is available in steel, brass, and wooden.
We usually have the idiyappam immersed in the coconut milk. Looks like a white complicated web soaked in a white pond. Let’s look into the recipe.
String Hoppers with Sweet Coconut Milk / Idiyappam
String Hoppers with Sweet Coconut Milk / Idiyappam
Ingredients
For String Hoppers (idiyappam)
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup Water
- Salt to taste
For Sweetened Coconut milk
- 1 cup Fresh Coconut, grated
- ¾ cup Lukewarm Water
- 3-4 tbsp Sugar
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
String Hoppers Recipe
- Dry roast the rice flour. Remove from heat and keep aside.
- Boil water in a pan. Add salt to boiling water and mix well. Remove from heat.
- Add the hot water a little (say ¼ cup) at a time into the rice flour. Mix using a spoon or spatula at first as the water is hot. Then knead using your hand to get a perfect dough.
- Continue adding the water in small quantities and knead until you get a smooth and non-sticky dough.
- Take a small portion of the dough and fill 3/4 of the string hopper maker. Now close it with the lid.
- Boil water in a steamer. When the steam starts coming, press or rotate the maker onto the steamer bowl or plate to make noodle.
- Cover the steamer and cook the string hopper (idiyappam) for 5 minutes. Let it cool a little before transferring to a plate.
Sweetened Fresh Coconut Milk
- Add the grated coconut and warm water into a mixer. Grind for 2-3 minutes.
- Strain by applying pressure with your palm to extract most of the milk from the coconut.
- Add sugar and salt to the milk. Stir thoroughly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Serve the coconut milk with string hoppers. You can either dip the string hoppers in the milk or pour the coconut milk on top of the string hopper and enjoy it.
Notes
- The quantity of water cannot be mentioned exactly as it depends on the rice flour used. Even though I boiled 1 cup water, I had to use only ¾ cup of it. So always add water in small quantities to mix the dough.
- When you add water, the dough will absorb the water and will be half cooked. But it will look like you need more water which is not necessary. So make sure you knead with your hands. Otherwise you will never know when the dough is ready. The dough will be ready when you can knead it into a ball without sticking on your hands.
- If the dough is dry, it will be hard to push or rotate the maker and string hopper will also seem dry and hard. If dough contains excess water, the idiyappam will become sticky. And there are chances that the strings may break if the water quantity is not correct.
- Since the dough is already half cooked, just steam for 5 minutes only. Otherwise the string hopper will become dry or rubbery.
- Always keep the dough covered to prevent it from drying.
- For the coconut milk, you can add cardamom powder for a different flavor. But I like it without any additional flavors.
Hope you all will like the recipe and enjoy .
Happy Cooking
Other Recipes to Try
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| Kerala Semolina Upma | South Indian Dosa | Beetroot Sauce | Homemade Yogurt |
