Idiyappam / String Hoppers

Idiyappam

Idiyappam is a traditional recipe originating from the Indian subcontinent consisting of rice flour pressed into noodles with the help of a mould and then steamed.  This dish is popular in Sri Lanka, India.  The popularity of this spread to Southeast Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia  .  It is also called string hoppers in english.

Ingredients 

• One cup rice flour
• 1.3 cups of hot water for kneading
• ¼ teaspoon salt/ salt to taste 
• Freshly grated coconut 
• 2 cups water for steaming

Method 

• Heat a heavy bottomed pan.  Keeping the flame low add once cup of flour. 
• Stir continuously so that the flour does not burn and stick to the bottom. 
• When steam starts to rise from the flour remove the flour from the pan to another vessel. 
• In the same pan add 1.3 cups of water and salt to taste. 
• Let the water heat up to near boiling point.  Mind you the water should be really hot and not boiling. 
• Add the hot water to the rice flour and mix it really well with a spatula or wooden spoon. 
• When the heat is tolerable knead the rice dough with hand. 
• Knead the dough to a soft consistency. The dough should neither be too sticky nor too dry. Otherwise the idiyappam will not come properly. 
• Keep the pressure cooker on the stove after adding three cups of water on medium flame. 
• While the water is heating grease the idly plates or steamer plates and the idiyappam mould. 
• Divide the dough into three portions and make on into a log.  Put it into the idiyappam mould. 
• Now press the idiyappam mould on to the idly plates in a concentric circle. 
• Repeat the same with the rest of the dough. 
• Sprinkle coconut or sugar on top of the idiyappam. 
• Cover the pressure cooker and steam on high flame for 9 to 10 minutes without the whistle. 
• Switch off the gas and let the idiyappam stand for 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Remove from the idly stand and serve hot with veg korma, potato stew, veg stew  
• If not serving immediately place in a casserole to keep warm