String Hoppers (Idi Appa, Steamed Rice Noodle Nests)
Local name: ඉඳි ආප්ප
In short: Rice flour dough pressed into fine noodle spirals, steamed into soft nests and served with a mild coconut milk gravy. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 430 kcal
String hoppers are small nests of fine rice noodles, pressed from dough straight onto a tray and steamed. Unlike hoppers, the dough is not fermented, so the taste is mild and clean, which is why they go so well with spicy sambol and curry. In Sri Lanka they are a common breakfast or dinner, usually served with a coconut milk gravy called kiri hodi, dhal and pol sambol.
Instructions
- Dry-roast the rice flour in a skillet over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until it feels hot and smells toasty but has not changed color. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Mix the flour with the salt and oil in a bowl. Pour in the boiling water gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture clumps.
- When it is cool enough to handle, knead for 2 to 3 minutes into a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough. Add a teaspoon of hot water if it feels dry.
- Prepare a steamer and lightly oil the trays, or cut small squares of baking paper to lay under each nest.
- Fill a string hopper press with the dough and press it in a spiral, about 8 cm (3 in) wide, onto each tray or paper square.
- Steam over boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes until the nests are firm, slightly translucent and no longer sticky.
- For the gravy, put the coconut milk, onion, green chili, curry leaves, turmeric and fenugreek in a pan and heat gently for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil hard. Stir in the salt and lime juice.
- Serve the string hoppers hot with the gravy, dhal or sambol.
Tips
- No string hopper press? A potato ricer or a cookie press with a fine disc works, and so does a sturdy piping bag with a small round tip.
- If the dough is too stiff to press, knead in hot water a teaspoon at a time. It should feel like soft modeling clay.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between hoppers and string hoppers?
Hoppers are fermented rice batter cooked in a curved pan. String hoppers are an unfermented dough pressed into noodle-like nests and steamed.
Can I freeze string hoppers?
Yes. Freeze the steamed nests in a single layer for up to 1 month. Re-steam them for 5 minutes from frozen.
What do you serve with string hoppers?
Coconut gravy, dhal, pol sambol, a fish or chicken curry, or a spicy onion sambol. They are mild, so they need a flavorful partner.
How long does it take to make String Hoppers (Idi Appa, Steamed Rice Noodle Nests)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in String Hoppers (Idi Appa, Steamed Rice Noodle Nests)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 560 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
